Easy oven-baked chicken zucchini meatballs made with ground chicken, onion, parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and zucchini. They’re quick, healthy, and delicious, and you won’t even know there are veggies in them. Great for meal prep and ready in about 35 minutes! Gluten-free.
Meatballs are one of the easiest things to whip up. All you need to do is combine some meat and some spices, herbs, or seasoning, cook them, and use them however you want.
Bonus – we are sneaking in some grated zucchini in there for some added veggies! It helps keep the meatballs moist, adds a little bit of flavor but is not super noticeable. Great for picky eaters or just adding some more micronutrients to your diet.
These chicken zucchini meatballs make an easy protein to have on hand during the week. Throw them with some sauce and your favorite pasta, into a meal prep bowl with some carbs and veggies, or just over a salad.
You can easily double this recipe to feed more people/have more leftovers, or freeze some for later!
Chicken zucchini meatball ingredients
- ground chicken
- zucchini
- onion
- parmesan cheese
- almond flour
- Italian seasoning
- garlic
- fresh herbs (parsley, basil, dill…)
- salt and pepper
How to make chicken zucchini meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Finely grate zucchini by running it through a box grater. If needed, you can roughly chop it as well. Gather zucchini in your hands and give it a good squeeze or two over the sink to get out any excess liquid. All the liquid does not need to be squeezed out.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, grated zucchini, onion, parmesan cheese, almond flour, garlic, Italian seasoning, herbs, and salt and pepper until well combined. Try not to overmix. I find using my hands works the best. Using a tablespoon as a scoop, form the chicken mixture into equal-sized meatballs. You should get around 21 meatballs depending on the size. If needed, wet hands with a little water to help the meat not stick while rolling.
- Place on the lined sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
Best ground chicken to use for meatballs
Fat is key for making meatballs, especially when using leaner cuts of meat like chicken. I suggest at least a 93/7 ground chicken. Anything leaner will be too dry. You can also use ground chicken thighs.
Can you pan fry these meatballs?
While I prefer to bake these meatballs, you can pan fry them if you want. Ground chicken is also a lean cut of meat, so you need to make sure you have enough oil in your pan.
To pan-fry, heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of your pan if using a cast iron.
Cook meatballs for 5-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. You will probably have to do it in two batches depending on the size of your pan.
Tips for the best chicken meatballs
- fat! – as I mentioned above, make sure to use at least a 93/7 ground chicken to help keep them moist.
- don’t overwork the meat – you just want to make sure the ingredients are combined. Mixing too much will make the chicken tough.
- don’t overbake – since chicken is leaner, if you overbake, the meatballs can dry out. Check at 20 minutes and then a minute or two after and make sure you take them out when they are done.
What to serve with chicken meatballs
I love having these on hand for a quick meal during the week. Here are a few ways to use them:
- tossed in sauce with your favorite pasta – I love angel hair, spaghetti, or linguine for these, but any kind of pasta will work.
- with zucchini noodles or heart of palm noodles for a low carb option
- in a hoagie roll with some sauce and cheese for a meatball sub
- in a meal prep bowl with some carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes…) and veggies
- over a salad
Storage
- refrigerator – store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the fridge.
- freezer – cook according to directions and let meatballs cool completely. Add to a bag (we love these silicon reusable ones) or a freezer dish. Simply defrost a handful at a time or all of them for a quick and easy meal. Meatballs should last up to 3 months in the freezer. I recommend making a double batch to have an easy protein option in the future.
substitutions
- ground chicken – you can use ground chicken thighs or ground turkey instead of chicken.
- parmesan cheese – feta can work instead of parmesan, but it will change the flavor. Leave out cheese for dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30.
- almond flour – oat flour will work instead of almond flour. You can try coconut flour but will need less of it since it is so absorbent. You can also just leave out the flour and they should still hold together.
- Italian seasoning – feel free to use a mix of dried basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme if you don’t have Italian seasoning. You just need 1 tablespoon total of dried herbs. The ratio of the herbs shouldn’t matter too much.
- garlic – you can use garlic powder instead. If using garlic powder, use 1 teaspoon.
- fresh herbs (parsley, basil, dill…) – you can use a combination of herbs, or just use one.
More healthy meatball recipes
- Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Meatballs
- Turkey, Kale, & Apple Meatballs with Apple Tahini Sauce
- Supreme Pizza Meatballs
- Greek Lamb Meatballs
Chicken Zucchini Meatballs
ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (93/7 or fattier)
- 1 medium zucchini, shredded and the liquid squeezed out (150 grams/about 1 heaping cup)
- 1/2 cup diced onion (60 grams)
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (30 grams)
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used a mix of parsley and basil)
- 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Finely grate zucchini by running it through a box grater. If needed, you can roughly chop it as well. Gather zucchini in your hands and give it a good squeeze or two over the sink to get out any excess liquid. All the liquid does not need to be removed.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, grated zucchini, onion, parmesan cheese, almond flour, garlic, Italian seasoning, herbs, and salt and pepper until well combined. Try not to overmix. I find using my hands works the best. Using a tablespoon as a scoop, form the chicken mixture into equal-sized meatballs. You should get around 21 meatballs depending on the size. If needed, wet hands with a little water to help the meat not stick while rolling.
- Place on the lined sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
notes
nutrition
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Dawn Wright says
I loved this recipe! Super easy and tasty. I even made enough for leftovers. I decided to do it with protein pasta so my total mean was 55g of protein!! My grocery store was limited on fresh herbs so I did dried ones and they still tasted great. Make sure you really squeeze out as much of the water from the zucchini as you can.
Kelly says
Heck yes to the protein! Glad the dried herbs worked great too. Thanks for trying them, Dawn!