Ground Chicken Meatballs in Sauce
These Ground Chicken Meatballs are simmered in an easy marinara and come out extremely tender and flavorful.
Ground Chicken Makes a Damn Good Meatball.
Eating less red meat shouldn’t feel like a punishment, and you certainly don’t have to avoid the meaty recipes you love. Just adapt!
Because anything ground beef or pork can do, ground chicken can do, too. (These chicken burgers are another fine example of that.)
I’m thrilled to share these tricks with you, because seriously, these saucy and nutritious meatballs are a treat!
Your Grocery List.
- Ground chicken
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh thyme
- Sweet/yellow onion
- Worcestershire sauce
- Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs
The Marinara.
Making the marinara from scratch is optional.
If you prefer to keep things super simple and use your favorite jar sauce, go for it. That’s exactly what I do when I’m in a pinch or feeling lazy.
Luckily this marinara is as simple as it is delicious.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Crushed tomatoes
- Sea salt
- Fresh oregano
- Fresh basil
- Bay leaf
- Red pepper flakes
Here’s the full recipe for the marinara.
How to Make Chicken Meatballs in Sauce.
- If you’re making the sauce, do that first and when done, leave it on a low simmer.
- Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper and set it aside.
- Pop all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large mixing bowl blend the mixture until it’s well mixed. Note: The mixture will seem wet and trickier to work with than beef and pork meatballs, but that’s normal.
- Wash your hands and lightly oil them with olive oil—this helps form the meatballs much better.
- Take a heaping scoop of the mixture, roll it into a ball that’s about 1 x 1 inch, and place the meatball onto the parchment paper. Repeat this until you’re done—there should be about a dozen meatballs.
- Place the tray of meatballs into the fridge and let them chill for at least 30 minutes.
- When it’s time to cook the meatballs, heat a bit of olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan.
- Place the meatballs into the pan one by one and let them simmer for about 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip the meatballs and let them simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the other side is golden in color.
- Add the sauce to the pan, covering the meatballs, and let the meatballs simmer on medium-low, covered, for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 165º F.
- When the meatballs are ready, garnish with chopped fresh basil and serve them with pasta or on fresh hoagies with mozzarella cheese!
Equipment You’ll Need:
- Saucepan
- Sharp knife
- Cutting Board
- Microplane
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Tongs
- Cast iron skillet or Non-stick skillet
- Meat Thermometer
Recipe Tips + Tricks:
- Letting the meatballs chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes is really important. It helps them set and will keep them from falling apart when you’re cooking them.
- If you want to bake your ground chicken meatballs, you can skip the step of chilling them in the fridge and just pop them straight into an oven preheated at 400º F. Bake them for 25-30 minutes. They should be golden in color and register an internal temperature of 165º F.
- Grating your garlic cloves offers much better flavor distribution than simply mincing them. A microplane is the perfect tool for grating garlic!
- If you don’t have panko breadcrumbs, you can use Italian.
More Easy Chicken Recipes:
- Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Baked Honey Garlic Chicken with Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Greek Sheet Pan Chicken with Baked Feta
- Slow Cooker Healthy Orange Chicken
Have You Made This Recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR rating & commenting below with feedback!
You can also show off your creations on Instagram by tagging @killing__thyme
Ground Chicken Meatballs in Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP Olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- If making the homemade marinara sauce, get that done first. When you're done, leave it on a low simmer and move on to the meatballs.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set it aside.
- Put all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large mixing bowl and blend the mixture thoroughly. The meatball mixture will seem wet and tricky to work with, but that's normal.
- Lightly oil your hands with a bit of olive oil and start forming your meatballs into balls that's measure about 1 x 1 inch, then carefully place the meatballs onto the parchment paper.
- Put the tray of meatballs into the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes.
- When it's cook time, heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Gently place the meatballs into the pan one by one, and let them simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Carefully flip the meatballs with tongs and let them simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until the other side is golden in color.
- Add the sauce to the pan, covering the meatballs, and simmer on medium-low, covered with a lid, for about 30 minutes or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165º F.
- When ready, garnish the meatballs with chopped fresh basil and serve them with pasta or on fresh hoagies with mozzarella or provolone cheese.
142 Comments on “Ground Chicken Meatballs in Sauce”
absolute banger of a recipe, made my girlfriend love me more. this isn’t a joke. she looked at me in ways she hadn’t before. these meatballs and chicken are relationship changing.
Thanks so much, Nick! This made my day. Haha.
These are so good! I made them to stuff into hoagies with provolone and they were the perfect dinner. Will definitely make these again with pasta.
Yes! I actually just did this same thing a few weeks ago. Worked out beautifully.
Beautiful pictures and amazing recipe. So flavorful. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
I may have loved these meatballs a little bit too much! There weren’t many left for the kids since I couldn’t stop eating them before I even served dinner!
Lol, oops! This calls for a “sorry not sorry” ;)
I am always looking for ways to cut calories, and this recipe did not disappoint! The meatballs were so tasty!
I’m so glad! Definitely a great way to lighten things up without losing flavor.
I’ve been substituting ground chicken and turkey for a while in a lot of my ground beef recipes, so I’m looking forward to trying this one. I love the flavor of chicken in sauce.
Keep me posted!
These meatballs are a winner! My kids can’t get enough of these!
I love hearing this!
These are the go-to in our house and we’re excited to give the ground chicken burgers a shot too!
Great! Keep me posted :)
These are crazy good! Had them in a meatball sandwich the next day and WOW.
Oh yes, so so good as a sammy :)
You had me at meatballs! It was a great excuse to bust out my favorite cast iron skillet and make this deliciousness! Thank you for a great alternative to beef! Loved it!
You’re welcome!
I love how easy these are, and cooking them longer in the sauce helps lock in the moisture! yum
Thanks, Rebecca!
These chicken meatballs are wonderful. I love the sauce they are in and that I can have them on pasta, rice or just as they are.
Yes! Or sandwiches.
I made these meatballs for dinner last night and my family loved them! And the kids loved helping me make them!
Ahh, love to hear that!
Totally love how flavorful this chicken recipe is. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
We really like this recipe. Never knew it was this easy to make. Will be making it again without further delay!
Great to hear!
After seeing this recipe and looking at how delicious it looked I had to try it for myself. I must say it was a 11 out of 10 and totally made all my wildest dreams come true. Thank you so much, this was a game changer!
Well that’s quite the review, haha. Thanks, Ned!
Yummm! So much flavor and SO easy to make! Thanks for sharing this winner. Honestly, it’s hard to not eat them right off the baking sheet LOL – and the house smells amazing! Great recipe!
Haha, I have the same issue! Then I remember how amazing they are once they’re sauced up :)
This ground chicken meatball recipe is going to go on the dinner menu rotation permanently. It’s so hearty and filling.
Awesome to hear, Sharon!
Love this lighter version of meatballs, and it’s such an easy recipe too!
Yes! Glad you love them.
These juicy Ground Chicken Meatballs are the best. Tender and flavourful. It goes with everything practically
They’re great with so many things, for sure!
The meatballs look so juicy and delicious. My girls are gonna love these. Will go grocery shopping tomorrow and will be making this soon.
Keep me posted, Sonal!
Perfect! The recipe turned out to be exactly what i wanted!
Awesome :)
Just made this recipe! The sauce was perfect!
I’m so glad!
These were a huge hit with my family! The marina sauce was delicious and next time I will make a double batch.
That’s great, Cyndy! Glad you all enjoyed it.
This recipe saved me when I ran out of ideas for what to do with my ground chicken. So yum!!!
I’m so glad! Ground chicken can feel so uninspired. I totally get you.
These meatballs were so good! I needed something to use my ground chicken and these worked perfect!
Love when that happens :)
So tasty and tender, we all loved it! The sauce is irresistible! I’ll be making this again soon :)
So happy to hear this, Emily!
Why have I never thought of making ground chicken meatballs before?? This is perfect!! A new favourite around here, thanks so much for the recipe :)
You’re so welcome!
These meatballs were absolutely delicious! And the sauce is simple and tasty.
Thanks, Janessa!
These meatballs turned out so good! The meatball was perfectly tender and juicy, and the marinara just had the best flavor. Delicious!
I’m so glad!
These homemade meatballs are SOOO much better than the store bought kind. Even my picky eaters loved them.
Yes! Store-bought can really lack flavor. I’m so glad you all enjoyed these.
love these! they’re are a huge hit with my toddler who refuses to eat beef
That’s amazing! I wish I could celebrate that win. My kiddo still won’t touch a meatball, haha.
These were perfect with my pasta tonight.
They’re so so good with pasta.
Delicious recipe, this was a big hit in our house and so quick to make. We will definitely be making this again!
So happy to hear it!
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Hearty and bold; easily, a new favorite dish!
Awesome, Sara!
So good! Can’t wait to try your Greek chicken meatballs next!
Oh they are SO good :) Keep me posted!
I love the swap from beef to chicken for meatballs. The marinara sauce is fabulous!
Thanks, Gina!
These homemade meatballs are the best!
Thank you!
What a simple and flavorful recipe. Everyone loved it. This is a keeper.
Love to hear it!
Look at all that amazing sauce those delicious meatballs are sitting in. I just need a fork and I’m ready to dig in!
Haha, that’s exactly what I do ;)
These meatballs were fantastic! Super easy to make and my family loved them thank you!
Awesome, Kelley!
Whoa whoa whoa. Chicken meatballs that are ACTUALLY tasty. Absolutely going to make these again. We were all impressed.
Haha, right? So glad these were a hit.
What a fantastic recipe! These chicken meatballs are so tender and tasty, and the homemade marinara sauce is wonderful, too. Another winner from Killing Thyme!
Aw, thanks Liza!
These are so hearty, satisfying, and flavorful!! Can’t wait to make this for my family again!
Glad it was a hit worth repeating!
These meatballs were incredibly delicious! Made them for dinner last night and it was so easy to make. My boyfriend already asked if we could have them again this week he loved them so much!!
So happy to hear this, Cam!
Loved the meatballs, the sauce, the whole shabang! We had these over quinoa and rice mixed together. Made for a very nutritious meal!
That sounds super wholesome, Irena. I love that idea!
I’m a big fan of chicken meatballs. Never had them in a rich and fabulous tomato sauce like this!
Hope you loved’em!
Can you sub dried herbs for fresh and if so what would be the measurements?
Absolutely! I’d go ahead and just use 1 tsp of dried herbs. Usually if a recipe calls for a full tablespoon of fresh herbs I’ll go one teaspoon of dried, but in this recipe, you’re good to sub one for one. Keep me posted :)
This was such a hit! Thank you. Love all the ingredients, can’t wait to try this again!
Great!
This chicken meatballs looks delicious perfect with a bowl of spaghetti
Absolutely. Let me know if you try it.
My husband hates meatballs made with beef, so these chicken ones were absolutely perfect! We loved them, great sauce too! thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Nic. I’m happy to be able to offer up a tasty alternative!
Love how these meatballs are so easy and delicious! You can make them for an appetizer or meal. I love both!!
Yes! Absolutely.
These meatballs in sauce look fantastic. I love a good homemade sauce like this and it pairs perfectly with the chicken meatballs. Can’t wait to make this for my family.
Keep me posted!
These meatballs are one of our family’s favorite dishes! We’ve made them several times and we all love them!
That’s so awesome :)
Yum. I love how large these meatballs are. When I’m making meatballs in marinara I want them to be really big. We’re going to try these tonight!
Let me know how it goes!
The meatballs are so flavorful and tender. They are perfect for pasta and make a lovely dinner.
Thanks, Anita!
Meatballs are the best. My kids love these!
Excellent news!
The marinara sauce with the juicy ground chicken is absolutely delicious! It’s packed with lots of flavor and you can’t just eat only one, you’ll crave for more!
I’m with you Mirlene. No such thing as having just one meatball :)
I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it for pasta and for meatball subs. It’s great to freeze as well. I get so much use out of this recipe.
Amazing! These are awesome for meatball subs.
I never thought that chicken meatballs could be so good but there were amazing!!!
Right? Just takes a bit of extra oomph ;)
Amazing! Made this to top on spaghetti. The chicken meatballs were a hit!
This is so awesome to hear! Thanks for popping in with feedback and a rating, Tara!
We’re not eating a lot of red meat these days but we were hankering meatballs. I’ll be honest I was NOT convinced we’d enjoy chicken or turkey meatballs. Beef and pork were always what we found worked best. But these chicken meatballs are AMAZING. I can’t get over how tender they are! This is our go-to and I can’t wait to try your chicken burger now. Seems like you have cracked the poultry code.
Thanks, Janna! I’m so glad you enjoyed these. They really do turn out well.
I love how saucy these are!
Gotta be saucy :)
Great meatballs! So tender and succulent! Perfect for a weeknight family meal! Thanks for another great recipe! :)
You’re welcome!
That sauce looks so darn delicious – so thick and flavorful and a comforting and delicious meal idea!
Thanks!
I followed all the specs and these meatballs were amazing.
I’m so glad, Dennis! Thanks so much for popping by with feedback!
So yummy! I gotta make this soon! I am so excited! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome!
These chicken meatballs look so tender and tasty! Delicious.
Thank you, Beth!
This is a dinner my son would love. I’m making this recipe tomorrow. Looks really delicious!
Came back to edit that it was a hit!
Happy to hear it, Natalie!
I love everything about this recipe. The meatballs are great and the sauce is stunning!
Thanks, Mahy!
You can’t beat meatballs for classic comfort food. These look like a great lighter alternative.
They absolutely are.