Favourite Baked Hen Meatballs (Straightforward)

These are essentially the most scrumptious baked rooster meatballs I’ve ever had! Full of taste, baked, after which brushed with a lemony garlic herb butter for even extra taste, they’re lighter-tasting than many meatball recipes. Get pleasure from them along with your favourite pasta, zucchini noodles, or all on their very own! You gained’t remorse making a double batch and freezing half for a future meal.

Whereas I’ve turn out to be an knowledgeable at blocking out the temptation that comes together with the fixed presence of candy baked items in my kitchen (hazard of the job!), a brand new temptation has been calling my identify from the fridge, within the type of these savory baked rooster meatballs.
Lunch, dinner—I’ve been all about this rooster meatball recipe. I’ve been making some variation of them for years, however this recipe you see under is my favourite, and my household (children included!) get pleasure from them too. Pair with spiralized zucchini noodles tossed in a zingy lemon-herb butter, and you’ve got an excellent springy, fresh-tasting important dish that’s a far cry from the heavier meals we sometimes crave within the winter months.
Why This Will Be Your New Favourite Hen Meatball Recipe
- No cooking other than 20 minutes within the oven—simply combine, form, and bake.
- Lemony, garlicky, herby butter “sauce” is a recent, flavorful completion.
- Scrumptious on their very own, or smothered in a marinara or pesto sauce.
- You’ll be able to swap floor turkey for the rooster, if most popular.
- Make them gluten free by utilizing GF bread crumbs.
- You can even form them as patties, and grill them to make rooster burgers.

Finest Substances to Use & Why
- Floor Hen: Or use floor turkey, if you happen to can’t discover floor rooster.
- Egg: 1 egg works to bind the elements collectively.
- Olive Oil: For taste and moisture.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Only a small quantity offers massive taste, simply because it does in crab truffles, black bean burgers, and beer cheese dip. Versatile!
- Breadcrumbs: One other binding agent. You should utilize panko, common, complete wheat, Italian seasoned, and even gluten free.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Extra scrumptious taste! Be happy to omit.
- Garlic: Mince 4–5 cloves; you’ll use some within the meatballs and a few within the garlicky herb butter sauce.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, and recent parsley taste these rooster meatballs from the within out.
And, non-compulsory… a pink pepper flake garnish for some kick!

How one can Make Baked Hen Meatballs
Step one is to easily combine all of the elements collectively. Yep, all collectively abruptly, in 1 bowl! You should utilize an enormous spoon or rubber spatula for this.

Scoop a portion of the combination (about 2 Tablespoons’ price, or 30–35g) and roll/form right into a ball along with your arms. This half can get a bit messy, so have some paper towels close by to wipe your arms as wanted. Or do what I do and have somebody spray your arms with nonstick cooking spray earlier than you start!
Do I Have to Pre-Cook dinner These Hen Meatballs?
No. In contrast to with many home made meatball recipes, like these crockpot turkey meatballs, there’s no searing/stovetop step on this baked rooster meatball recipe. You’ll be able to place the formed meatballs proper on a lined baking sheet and so they’ll be able to eat in lower than half an hour.


Recent Lemon Garlic Herb Butter Sauce
Whereas they bake, make the straightforward sauce on the range. This “sauce” provides these flavorful rooster meatballs much more moisture and taste—I don’t advocate skipping it! It’s not a lot a sauce as it’s merely melted butter flavored with recent lemon, garlic, and herbs.
In a small saucepan, soften the butter with some fresh-squeezed lemon juice, then add the minced garlic and prepare dinner briefly, till good and aromatic. Take away from warmth and stir within the chopped herbs.


Brush or spoon it on the nice and cozy meatballs after they’re performed baking, and spoon any additional over the pasta or zucchini noodles you’re serving the meatballs with. The feel is gentle sufficient that it may be layered with one other, thicker sauce, like marinara or home made pesto, however that’s completely as much as you!
My favourite strategy to get pleasure from them is with some zucchini noodles (aka “zoodles” or “courgetti”)—which I additionally love on this bruschetta rooster recipe—tossed within the herb butter sauce. See recipe Notes for tips on how to prepare dinner zucchini noodles.
The meatballs might be over-baked, nevertheless it’s additionally doubtless that they have been packed too tightly when shaping. Meatballs can style rubbery and hard in the event that they’re shaped too tight. Roll the combination gently, simply till it comes collectively to type a ball.
The meatballs solely take about 20 minutes within the oven. Bake them simply till an instant-read thermometer reads the inner temperature as 165°F (74°C).
What to Serve With Hen Meatballs
- Your favourite number of pasta; or zucchini noodles (pictured) or spaghetti squash
- Your favourite pasta sauce, like marinara or home made basil pesto
- On their very own, on a platter with toothpicks, as a celebration appetizer
- Alongside zucchini casserole or baked candy potato fries
- In a hoagie roll, as a meatball sandwich
- Alongside olive bread, or these home made breadsticks or garlic knots
- Or strive shaping the combination into patties and making rooster burgers with it. High with recent mozzarella, a slice of tomato, and a swipe of pesto on a bun for a caprese-style rooster burger!

How one can Freeze Hen Meatballs
I’ve these directions under, however can briefly clarify right here as nicely. You’ve 2 selections right here: (1) you possibly can bake after which freeze them or (2) freeze them uncooked. To freeze after baking, let the meatballs cool utterly, then place in a freezer-friendly container and freeze as much as 2 months. To freeze earlier than baking, type meatballs, then house aside on a lined plate or baking tray and freeze for 1–2 hours or till they’ve “set” and can now not stick collectively. Then you possibly can place them in a freezer-friendly container and freeze as much as 2 months.
Reheat: Warmth oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake frozen absolutely cooked meatballs for 15–18 minutes. Bake frozen uncooked meatballs for 25 minutes, or till the inner temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Print
Absolute Favourite Baked Hen Meatballs
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook dinner Time: 20 minutes
- Whole Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: about 35 meatballs
- Class: Dinner
- Technique: Cooking
- Delicacies: American
Description
Full of taste, baked, after which brushed with a lemony garlic herb butter for even extra taste, these rooster meatballs are lighter-tasting than many meatball recipes. No have to pre-cook, and you may simply freeze them earlier than or after baking. Get pleasure from them along with your favourite pasta, zucchini noodles, or all on their very own!
Meatballs
Lemon Garlic Herb Butter Sauce
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray. Put aside.
- With a big spoon or spatula, combine collectively all of the meatball elements in a big bowl.
- Scoop a portion of the combination, about 2 Tablespoons (30–35g) in measurement, roll right into a ball along with your arms, and place on the ready baking sheet. Repeat with remaining combination. It is best to have round 35 meatballs.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or till cooked by way of. Insert an instant-read thermometer to examine for doneness; the meatballs are absolutely cooked when an instant-read thermometer reads the inner temperature as 165°F (74°C).
- Make the sauce: Place the butter and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium warmth and prepare dinner till the butter is absolutely melted. Add the minced garlic and prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till aromatic (about 1 minute—don’t let the garlic brown). Take away from warmth and stir within the chopped recent herbs. Brush or spoon the buttery sauce onto the meatballs after they come out of the oven. You should have some additional for serving. If desired, sprinkle meatballs with crushed pink pepper flakes.
- Serve heat meatballs with remaining herb butter sauce, over your selection of pasta or zucchini noodles.
- Retailer leftovers lined tightly within the fridge for as much as 1 week.
Notes
- Make Forward Directions: To make forward, you possibly can full steps 2 & 3, then cowl the unbaked rooster meatballs tightly and refrigerate for as much as 1 day earlier than baking.
- Freezing & Reheating Directions: You’ve 2 selections right here: (1) you possibly can bake the meatballs after which freeze them or (2) freeze the meatballs uncooked. To freeze after baking, let the meatballs cool utterly, then place in a freezer-friendly container and freeze as much as 2 months. To freeze earlier than baking, type meatballs, then house aside on a lined plate or baking tray and freeze for 1–2 hours or till they’ve “set” and can now not stick collectively. Place in a freezer-friendly container and freeze as much as 2 months. To reheat both, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake frozen absolutely cooked meatballs for 15–18 minutes. Bake frozen uncooked meatballs for 25 minutes, or till the inner temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Instant-Read Thermometer | Basting Brush | Spiralizer (to make zucchini noodles)
- Floor Turkey or Beef: You’ll be able to substitute floor turkey or beef for the rooster.
- Breadcrumbs: You should utilize panko, common, complete wheat, Italian seasoned, or gluten free.
- Parmesan Cheese: Be happy to skip the cheese (it does give lots of taste, although!), or substitute with one other shredded or crumbled cheese of your selection. Give the shredded or crumbled cheese a fast chop earlier than utilizing.
- Herbs: You’ll be able to substitute any of the recent herbs with dried, if desired. Common rule of thumb is to chop the quantity in half; so 1 teaspoon of recent oregano = 1/2 teaspoon dried.
- Zucchini Noodles: Should you’d wish to make the zucchini noodles as pictured, right here is how I prepare dinner them: Add a splash of olive oil to a skillet, adopted by the zucchini noodles. Cook dinner over medium warmth for five minutes, stirring sometimes. Take away from warmth and thoroughly drain off many of the liquid, if any has accrued. Season with salt and pepper, to style. Serve with the meatballs and a bit of the sauce.
Diet
- Serving Dimension: 5 meatballs with sauce
- Energy: 333
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 592.8 mg
- Fats: 16.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.9 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 142.7 mg
Key phrases: baked meatballs