These low carb chicken meatballs are super easy to make and incredibly versatile! Make up a batch and store them in the freezer for a simple meal during the week! {gluten-free & keto-friendly}
For years I have been looking for an easy go-to meatball recipe that I could use for all different kinds of recipes. Some nights, you might be feeling spaghetti and meatballs, while others, it might be more of a meatball soup kind of night.
Well guess what??
I FINALLY found that recipe.
This meatball recipe is simple enough that I’ve memorized the ingredients list, so it can be whipped together in a matter of minutes!
Why we’re loving these meatballs
Healthier option: When you make your own meatballs, you can control exactly what’s going into them. These meatballs are made with lean ground chicken which is a great source of lean protein, but you can also sub in your preferred type of ground meat. Also, instead of using refined bread crumbs, we’ve subbed in almond flour to help the mixture all bind together. It acts as a great replacement for the bread crumbs, and is also a source of healthy fats. This substitution also happens to make these meatballs a lower carb option as well.
Easy: When making these meatballs, you literally toss all of ingredients in a bowl, give the mixture a quick mix, form the mixture into balls and bake! It requires minimal effort and you can get several meals out of it!
Family-friendly: The whole family loves this recipe. You really can’t go wrong when the ingredients are so simple and the meatballs can be used in so many different ways!
Freezer-friendly: You can make up a large batch of these meatballs and store the whole batch or any leftovers in the freezer! They defrost beautifully. Who needs store-bought meatballs when you can make your own convenient freezer meatballs?
Versatile: Craving spaghetti and meatballs? Serve on a bed of pasta with marinara sauce! More in the mood for a soup? Toss these meatballs into your favourite soup recipe! So many different ways to serve up these meatballs to avoid getting stuck in a rut.
How to make low carb meatballs
To start, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking to the pan.
Using your hands, mix together the ground chicken (or other preferred meat), garlic, almond flour, egg, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl until combined. Do not overwork.
Form into 1 1/2-inch balls until all of the mixture is used up and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 150 F.
Can I use another type of ground meat other than chicken?
Definitely! Feel free to sub in lean ground turkey, beef or a mixture of beef and pork instead of the chicken if you prefer. Like I said, this recipe is very versatile!
Freezer Instructions
I mentioned that one of the perks of these meatballs is that they are completely freezer-friendly! Don’t you just love ready-made recipes that you can simply pop in the freezer and put to use on those busy weeknights?
To freeze: Allow the meatballs to fully cool. Flash freeze them on a baking sheet and place the frozen meatballs in a large Ziploc bag.
You can also use a vacuum sealer to keep them nice and fresh in the freezer!
Store the meatballs in the freezer for up to three months.
How do you reheat meatballs from frozen?
To reheat, preheat oven to 400 F and evenly distribute the meatballs on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Alternatively, you can heat the frozen meatballs in microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through.
Other healthy additions:
This meatball recipe is designed to be very basic, but feel free to spruce it up by adding in extra spices or some grated veggies! Vegetables that would work well would be shredded zucchini, carrot or grated onion!
Tips for Tastier Meatballs:
- Mix the meatball mixture gently with your hands to prevent the mixture from becoming too dense.
- When forming the meatballs, you can eye ball it or use a cookie scoop to make the meatballs more uniform in size.
- Oil your hands with olive oil before rolling up the meatballs. It will keep the meat from sticking to your hands and it will help you form the meatballs without packing them too densely.
- When rolling up the meatballs, try not to compress the meatballs too much. Keep your palms flat when you’re forming them and gently form them in your palms just until they hold together.
- Don’t overcook them. Use a meat thermometer and take them out when they hit about 150F. They will cook a little more when you warm them up.
Serving suggestions:
One of the reasons why I love this meatball recipe is that there are multiple ways that you can serve them up!
Here are some ways to put these meatballs to good use:
- Serve with favourite store-bought or homemade tomato sauce over a bed of zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or pasta
- Add to a soup
- Serve along with brown rice
- Toss into a pita with vegetables and tzatziki
- Serve with a quinoa salad
Looking for other meatball recipes? Check out these:
- Mexican Meatball Soup
- Chicken Quinoa Meatballs
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Asian Beef Meatballs with Thai Coconut Sauce
- Meatball Barley Soup
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Low Carb Meatballs {Freezer-friendly}
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground chicken
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Mix together ground chicken, garlic, almond flour, egg, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl until combined. Do not overwork.
- Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls until all of the mixture is used up and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links which means that I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only promote products that I love and feel will benefit my readers :)
Leave A Review: