It’s Michaela from Covered in Mod Podge again. I’m excited to be here today to share a delicious recipe with you all.

 

I love to cook. But I also am pressed for time. So I love recipes that do double duty {hehe…I said duty. Sounds like dooty. Yes, my humor is as sophisticated as a 12 year old boy’s.} or that freeze beautifully. This delicious Baked Italian Chicken Meatball Recipe comes together quickly, freezes like a dream, is a healthier alternative to traditional meatballs, and is tasty to boot!

 

 

These baked meatballs use ground chicken. You could also use ground turkey or even ground beef. I HIGHLY prefer ground chicken to turkey. Ground chicken is moist, and has a more mellow flavor. Ground chicken is also easy to find these days. I picked mine up at Target! Also, these little gems are baked. Frying them in the pan is an option. But to me, baking them is fool-proof. Its so much easier and healthier {no oil}.

 

1 lb. ground chicken

1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesan

1 tbsp. basil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes {or more to taste}

1 egg

 

 

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together with your hands.

 

 

Shape into balls and place on a greased baking sheet or a silicone baking mat. {I like to use my silicone baking mat so the cheese that oozes out gets all crispy and yummy.} One pound of ground chicken will get you 12 golf ball sized meatballs.

 

 

Bake in an oven pre-heated to 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. You can either split one open to make sure its cooked through or use a meat thermometer to check that its at an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

 

 

If I really have things together, I like to bake these guys during nap time. Then, I throw the ground chicken meatballs I want to use that night for dinner into a pan with spaghetti sauce {jarred…shhh don’t tell}. Then, I simmer them on low until dinner time. If I don’t have it together, I just throw them on the plate straight from the oven. They still taste great.

Recipes to use these baked chicken meatballs in –

• One pot spaghetti and meatballs
• Meatball lasagna
• Mozzarella meatball quinoa bake
• Italian chicken meatball subs
• Meatball minestrone soup

 

 

To freeze these guys let them cool on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then wrap them up in tin foil and store in a freezer bag. When I’m looking to use them {meatball subs anyone?}, I let them defrost in the fridge. You can throw them in the sauce to warm up/simmer.

 

 

What’s your favorite recipe that you freeze? I’m always on a look out for a good recipe that I can freeze leftovers!