These Baked Cheesy Chicken Meatballs make for the perfect meatball slider or bite-sized appetizer. Served with a Greek yogurt sauce, these cheese-stuffed ground chicken meatballs are a total hit!
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Key Ingredients
- Ground Chicken: I use ground chicken thighs.
- Cheese: Pepper Jack is my favorite, but you could also use mozzarella, cheddar, or jack cheeses.
- Finely Diced Shallot: a little finely diced or grated yellow onion would also be delicious.
- Cayenne pepper: for a little kick (optional!).
- Egg: to help bind the ingredients together.
- Breadcrumbs: I use storebought panko breadcrumbs.
- Rolls: if making sliders, I like to use my favorite soft rolls. These are also great as an appetizer without buns.
How to make Ground Chicken Meatballs
- Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and gently combine the ingredients, being careful not to overmix.
- Roll the meatballs into balls. The size will depend on if you are making sliders or want small bite-sized appetizers. This recipe makes 10-12 meatballs for sliders, or 16-18 meatballs for appetizers.
- Add the meatballs to a sprayed baking dish and bake.
- Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients.
- When the meatballs are fully cooked, serve them with the sauce and optionally add them to buns with arugula.
Serving Tips
I love serving these baked chicken meatballs as sliders! To do so, roll the meatballs into about 3 tablespoons of mixture each. Slice soft rolls in half lengthwise and warm them in the oven for a few minutes. Dress each slider with a little of Greek yogurt sauce, a cooked meatball, and a few pieces of arugula.
For a bite-sized appetizer, I roll the meatballs into 2 tablespoons of mixture each. I then serve them with a side of Greek yogurt sauce to dip in.
Either way would be perfect for game day or any party!
What to serve these meatballs with
If you are serving these as sliders, a simple side of potato chips and salad, such as a Roasted Potato Salad or Summer Grain Salad, would be perfect. To drink, I recommend a Tropical Mule or Cucumber Smash Cocktail.
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Prep ahead tips
These chicken meatballs can be rolled into meatballs up to 8 hours before baking. Roll them up and cover with foil or plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator. When ready to enjoy, pop them in the oven (note: if they are cold from coming straight out of the refrigerator, they make take an extra minute or two to cook).
The Greek yogurt sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container. When ready to enjoy, just give it a quick stir.
Reheating tips
Store extra chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat in the oven, bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until just warmed through.
To reheat in the microwave, place the meatballs in a microwave-safe bowl or plate with a damp paper towel loosely covering them. Reheat in 30-second increments until just heated through.
Note that reheated meatballs can dry the meatballs out slightly.
Expert Tips
- Don't overmix the meatball ingredients, otherwise they can become tough.
- To test for seasoning and flavor, always cook off a small sample of the ground chicken mixture in a pan before baking the whole batch.
- You can use just about any type of cheese (such as mozzarella or cheddar) but pepper jack is my favorite for these!
If you make these stuffed cheesy Ground Chicken Meatballs, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below! And if you're looking for more meatball recipes, check out my classic Italian meatballs!
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Ground Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken thighs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 ounces pepper jack cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 cups arugula optional
- 12 soft rolls, warmed and cut in half lengthwise optional
Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 dashes hot sauce optional
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken, panko, parmesan, parsley, shallot, garlic, Dijon, egg, Worcestershire, cayenne, salt, pepper, and egg. Gently combine all the ingredients until just combined (don't over mix).
- To taste the meatballs for seasoning, in a small skillet on medium heat, add a little cooking spray then and a teaspoon or two of the meatball mixture pressed into a small patty. Cook the patty until fully cooked, flipping halfway, about 4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning in the rest of the meat mixture as desired.
- Take 2-3 tablespoons on the meat mixture and gently form it into a small patty. Add a cube of pepper jack to the center. Fold the meat around the cheese and roll it into a ball. Place all the meatballs evenly spaced apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until just fully cooked in the middle.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining the Greek yogurt, Dijon, hot sauce (if using), and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Taste adjusting seasoning and spice level as desired. Set aside.
- When the meatballs are fully cooked, serve them with sauce on the side. Alternatively, turn them into sliders by add a little sauce to each warmed bun, a meatball, and a small handful of arugula. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Video
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Kelsey B says
Great for meal prep
Caitlin Charlton says
Thank you so much! I totally agree!