Rooster Meatballs | Simple, Versatile, and Tender

Baked Rooster Meatballs are tender, juicy, and completely scrumptious! This versatile and lighter meatball recipe is made in minutes with on a regular basis components.

As a result of I at all times maintain it actual with you, I’ll share that simply previous to my husband taking a chew of his loaded hen meatball sub for dinner the opposite evening he requested, “why hen meatballs?” in a approach that indicated he was…not sure…of the meal he was about to devour (actual Italian Beef Sandwich power right here).

Three minutes later he declared it the very best meal I’d made in “a really very long time“. Uncertain as as to if or not I ought to be barely offended or thrilled, I went with the latter and right here we’re.

Take it from my husband — straightforward, baked Rooster Meatballs would be the greatest meal you’ve made in a really very long time! 😉

Watch Make It!

Simple Baked Rooster Meatballs

I believe the easiest way to explain this recipe, per my husband’s response, is that it’s surprisingly scrumptious. Meatballs after all are completely tasty, however these straightforward, baked hen meatballs are going to blow you away.

Made with a handful of on a regular basis components, combined up in minutes, then baked to golden brown perfection — with probably the most scrumptious crispy crust! — they’re going to vary what you envision once you hear the phrase “meatball”.

Why You’ll ADORE Rooster Meatballs

• 30 minute meal: floor hen meatballs go from fridge to desk in beneath Half-hour — together with prep time and cook dinner time. YES!
• Make-ahead: these meatballs are excellent for meal prep! Roll then retailer the raw meatballs within the fridge, or bake them utterly as much as 3 days forward of time.
• Freezer-friendly: toss the unbaked or baked meatballs into the freezer for later. This can be a nice meal to make a double batch of and inventory the freezer of a brand new mother or father with.
• Lighter than beef: these meatballs are decrease in fats and energy in comparison with being made with 90/10 floor beef, with the identical quantity of protein.
• Dairy free: whereas many meatball recipes name for parmesan cheese or pecorino romano cheese, these meatballs are nonetheless so flavorful with none dairy.
• No searing: pop the meatballs onto a baking sheet then ship them off into the oven — no additional searing step wanted.
• No chopping required: ‘nuf mentioned!

Elements Wanted

Apart from the bottom hen, I at all times have all of the components wanted to make do-it-yourself hen meatballs available. Right here’s what you’ll want:

• Floor hen: contains darkish and chicken that makes for probably the most tender and flavorful meatballs. Utilizing 99% fat-free floor hen may end up in dry and crumbly meatballs.
• Egg: helps make the meatballs stick collectively.
• Additional virgin olive oil: provides the baked meatballs probably the most scrumptious and crispy golden-brown crust.
• Panko bread crumbs: binds the meatballs collectively and supplies tenderness. I take advantage of Kikkomen gluten-free panko bread crumbs.
• Herbs and seasonings: dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper present plenty of taste with no chopping wanted.
• Worcestershire sauce: since these meatballs don’t comprise cheese, a splash of worcestershire sauce supplies an ooph of umami taste.

Serve Rooster Meatballs

Among the best issues about hen meatballs is how versatile they’re. The sky’s the restrict with regards to easy methods to serve them. Listed below are some concepts:

1. Spaghetti: high cooked pasta with marinara sauce and the baked meatballs. Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia.
2. Meatballs subs: slather sub rolls with garlic butter then toast and stuff with sliced provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese and meatballs.
3. Salad: quarter heat hen meatballs then scatter on high of a chilly, hearty salad.
4. Appetizer: scoop the meatballs a bit smaller then bake and serve with pesto, or toss in buffalo sauce and serve with do-it-yourself ranch.
5. Soup: scoop the meatballs with a teaspoon then bake and drop inside Rooster and Rice Soup or Selfmade Rooster Noodle Soup as an alternative of hen breasts.
6. Mashed potatoes and gravy: high a scoop of mashed potatoes with meatballs and gravy then serve with steamed inexperienced beans or a contemporary salad.

Prime Ideas for Juicy Rooster Meatballs

This straightforward, 30 minute meal isn’t rocket science however there are 2 suggestions I need to name consideration to so that you get probably the most tender and juicy baked hen meatballs ever:

1. Use floor hen: you should definitely purchase floor hen, which is a combination of white and darkish meat, versus 99% fat-free floor hen breast for probably the most tender and flavorful meatballs. You should utilize floor turkey (once more, not floor turkey breast) should you like.
2. Over-bake: as I instruct in my recipe for Baked Rooster Thighs, the way in which to make darkish meat extra tender and flavorful, is to overcook it. So, bake the meatballs to an inner temperature of 200-ish levels as an alternative of 165 levels, which is what floor hen technically solely must be cooked to.

Alrighty, let’s bake!

Bake Rooster Meatballs

Step 1: Mix the meatball components

To a big bowl, add the egg, panko breadcrumbs, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce then whisk with a fork to mix.

Notice: you CAN use contemporary herbs, garlic, and onion, and so forth, however the meatballs are a lot flavor-packed as written.

Step 2: Crumble floor hen on high

Crumble a pound of floor hen on high then use your palms to combine till all the things is mixed. The combination shall be tender and barely sticky — that’s okay!

Step 3: Roll the meatballs

Use a spatula to divide the hen meatball combination into quarters, then every quarter into 4 sections. Roll every part right into a ball then place onto a parchment paper or non stick-sprayed foil-lined baking sheet.

Step 4: Bake the meatballs

Bake the meatballs for 16-18 minutes at 400 levels or till the inner temperature as learn by an instant-read thermometer reaches at the very least 165 levels. Like my Baked Rooster Thighs, I bake hen meatballs till the inner temp is round 200 for supremely tender meatballs.

Step 5: Use ’em up!

That is the place it will get enjoyable! How will you utilize your hen meatballs?

• On high of spaghetti
• Inside a meatball sub
• Tossed with buffalo sauce and served as an appetizer
• On a salad
• Dipped into pesto
• Dropped inside soup
• Over mashed potatoes with gravy

Make Forward or Freeze

Like I mentioned, this recipe is a meal-prepper’s dream. Right here’s how one can make or freeze the hen meatballs forward of time.

• To make forward: put together the recipe via the rolling step then refrigerate the unbaked meatballs in a dish for as much as 3 days. Or, bake the meatballs then cool utterly and retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat leftovers with a splash of hen broth within the microwave or with sauce in a pan on the range over medium warmth.
• To freeze: put together the recipe via the rolling step then freeze stable. Switch the frozen meatballs to a Ziplock freezer bag then freeze flat for as much as 3 months. Bake from frozen, tacking on an additional 5-7 minutes. Alternatively you may freeze the baked then cooled meatballs. Bake from frozen for 15-20 minutes or till heated via.

Extra Simple Italian Dinner Concepts

Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin