Ground Chicken Meatballs
These Ground Chicken Meatballs with Greek yogurt are the most juicy and tender meatballs! They’re high protein, easy to meal prep, and so versatile for many recipes.
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Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
- High protein – each serving has 24 grams of protein, making it easy to build a filling, balanced meal.
- Juicy and tender – Greek yogurt keeps ground chicken moist while it bakes, so you won’t end up with dry, rubbery meatballs.
- Meal prep friendly – bake a batch once and you have a ready-to-go protein for lunches and dinners all week.
- Super versatile – the simple seasoning works with marinara, teriyaki, BBQ, pesto, soups, bowls, and just about any meatball recipe.
- Pantry staples – you only need a handful of basic ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Freezer friendly – make a double batch and stash some in the freezer for busy weeks.
Ingredients & Substitutions:
For a full ingredient list with quantities, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Ground chicken – any fat percentage works here. Ground turkey is an easy swap and bakes up just as nicely.
- Plain Greek yogurt – the secret to juicy, tender meatballs, plus a little extra protein. Nonfat or 2% both work. Plain cottage cheese blended until smooth is a good substitute.
- Breadcrumbs – plain or Italian-style both work. Use panko for a slightly lighter texture or gluten-free breadcrumbs to make them gluten-free.
- Egg – helps bind everything together so the meatballs hold their shape.
- Salt – seasons the meatballs and brings out the savory flavor.
- Onion powder and garlic powder – add savory flavor without any chopping.
- Black pepper – for a little extra flavor. Add Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes if you want to customize the flavor for a specific recipe.
How to Make Ground Chicken Meatballs
For complete instructions, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mix – add the ground chicken, Greek yogurt, breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings to a large bowl and mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense, so stop as soon as everything is evenly incorporated.
- Scoop and roll – use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture into evenly sized balls, then roll and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Ground chicken is a little softer and stickier than other ground meats, so lightly damp hands make rolling easier.
- Bake – lightly spray or brush the tops with avocado or olive oil for a little extra browning. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Tips and Variations
- Use a cookie scoop – it keeps the meatballs the same size so they bake evenly and are done at the same time.
- Check the temperature – a meat thermometer is the easiest way to know they’re done. Pull them once the center reaches 165°F.
- Make them Italian-style – add Italian seasoning and a little grated Parmesan, then serve with marinara over pasta or in a meatball sub.
- Make them Greek-style – add dried oregano and a little lemon zest, then serve with tzatziki in a Greek Meatball Bowl.
- Add fresh herbs – minced parsley or basil mixed in or sprinkled on top adds fresh flavor and color.
- Double the batch – they freeze well, so make extra and keep a bag in the freezer for fast dinners.
- Serving ideas – toss them into soup, simmer in BBQ or teriyaki sauce, or add them to a grain bowl with veggies for an easy meal prep lunch.
Meal Prep & Storage
- Fridge – let the meatballs cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer – freeze the cooled meatballs in a single layer on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. This keeps them from sticking together, so you can grab just what you need. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- Reheat – warm them in the microwave, oven, or air fryer, or simmer them right in your sauce or soup. Frozen meatballs can go straight into a simmering sauce, just give them a few extra minutes to heat through.
- Meal prep tip – portion about 5 meatballs per container with a grain and veggies for grab-and-go balanced lunches all week.
Recipe FAQs
Each chicken meatball has about 5 grams of protein, depending on size. A serving of about 5 meatballs has 24 grams of protein.
Greek yogurt adds moisture that keeps lean ground chicken juicy and tender while it bakes. It also adds a little extra protein.
Ground chicken is naturally softer and stickier than other ground meats, so that’s completely normal. Lightly damp hands make rolling the meatballs much easier.
Ground chicken meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. A meat thermometer is the easiest way to check.
Yes, ground turkey works well in this recipe. You can also try my Baked Turkey Meatballs.
Yes, freeze the baked meatballs in a single layer on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 1 month.
Yes! Air fry for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cook times vary between air fryers, so start checking a little early. For more air fryer meatball inspiration, try my Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs.
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Ground Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense, so stop as soon as everything is evenly incorporated.1 pound ground chicken, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture into evenly sized balls, then roll and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Lightly spray or brush the tops with avocado or olive oil for a little extra browning. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
