These savory chicken muffins are a fun twist on classic meatloaf and make the perfect protein-packed meal. Cook up a batch and freeze for a quick and healthy meal or snack! They take less than 30 minutes to prepare! {Gluten-free}
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Delicious Little Bites!
These chicken muffins are a lifesaver when it comes to prepping quick and healthy meals for the family. They’re my secret for getting a quick dose of protein when I don’t have time to cook big elaborate meals. Plus, they’re perfectly portion-controlled so they’re a great grab and go option!
Made with extra lean ground chicken, these mini meatloaf muffins are a tasty alternative to chicken breast, while still being a lean protein option.
Make up a large batch and freeze them for a quick and easy meal or snack!
For more meatloaf muffin recipes, be sure to check out my BBQ Meatloaf Muffins and Mini Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.
Why This Recipe is Dietitian-Approved
- Individually portioned: These savory muffins are baked in a muffin tin, creating the perfect-sized little bites. You can pop them in the fridge or freezer and easily take them on the go!
- Protein-packed: These little bites each have 8 grams of protein per serving, so they’re very satisfying and such a great way to add some extra protein in at meal or snack time.
- Easy: You can toss all of the ingredients together in one bowl and divide into a muffin tin in a matter of minutes. Simply bake and enjoy in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredient Notes
- Ground chicken: Ground chicken forms the base of this muffin pan meatloaf. I generally use extra lean ground chicken, but you can sub in ground chicken thighs if desired. Alternatively, you can also use ground turkey or beef to switch it up.
- Milk: Is used to soften up the oats so that they combine better with the meat mixture. You can use regular dairy-based milk or sub in a plant-based milk alternative if you require a dairy-free option.
- Oats: Help to bind the meat together and add some texture and fiber. I typically use rolled oats, but you can use quick oats if preferred.
- Fresh veggies: Onion, garlic and carrot are used to incorporate extra flavor and nutrients. Be sure to grate the onion and carrot finely if you’d like them to be more subtle. You can also add grated zucchini, finely chopped mushrooms, chopped spring onions, or bell peppers.
- Hot sauce: Used to flavor up the muffins. I typically use Frank’s hot sauce, but feel free to sub in whatever you have on hand.
- Marinara sauce: The marinara sauce is used on top of the chicken muffins to enhance the flavor and presentation. I typically use a lower sodium variety, but you can use whatever store-bought or homemade sauce that you have on hand.
- Cheese: The cheese is optional but adds a delicious flavor and also helps to make the recipe more kid-friendly too. Generally I’ll add freshly grated parmesan cheese to the chicken mixture and shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese on top so they’re almost like mini pizza bites!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or line muffin tin with 12 silicone muffin molds.
- Combine oats and milk in a small bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened.
- To a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, the oat mixture, hot sauce, carrot, garlic, onion, egg, parmesan cheese (if using), salt and black pepper. Mix ingredients until combined.
- Divide chicken mixture into each muffin cup, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top each meatloaf muffin with marinara sauce. You can also add some grated cheese at this time if you wish. Place back in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Allow to cool for several minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below!
Recipe Tips
- Use extra lean or lean ground chicken. If you go with a higher fat variety, the grease may spill out of the muffin tin while baking.
- Do not over mix. Be careful not to over mix the meat mixture as it may result in dense meatloaf muffins. Instead, mix until the ingredients are just combined.
- Spray the muffin tin well with cooking spray or use silicone molds. This will help prevent the meatloaf from sticking to the pan and will save you from having to scrub the pan once finished cooking (you’re welcome)!
- Once cooked, let the meatloaf muffins rest in the pan to allow the juices from the meatloaf to redistribute. This will result in juicier and tastier meatloaf.
- Be sure to make a double batch to meal prep for easy freezer meals! They’re so handy when you need something quick!
- If you wish, you can melt some cheese on top of the muffins. Add some shredded cheese to the top of each muffin when you add the marinara sauce or melt some on after the muffins are cooked.
Storage and Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: Once these mini chicken meatloaf muffins have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep well in the fridge for up to four days.
Freezer: To freeze, remove from muffin pan and allow to cool. Place on a baking sheet and flash freeze. Place in a freezer bag, label and freeze. You can freeze them up to 3 months.
To reheat
To reheat meatloaf muffins in the oven: Place your meatloaf muffins on the counter while your oven preheats. Pop them back into the muffin tin or line on a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
To reheat in the microwave: Place a couple of muffins on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 60 seconds. If still not warm, continue to heat at 30 second intervals as needed until heated through.
Required Equipment
The following kitchen equipment will help make this recipe even easier!
- Large Bowl: Required to mix together all of the ingredients.
- Muffin Tin: Where you’ll bake the meatloaf muffins.
- Cookie Scoop: Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion the meat mixture into each muffin cup.
- Silicone Muffin Cups or Paper Muffin Liners: These will help prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan.
Recipe FAQs
Sure! Just spray a loaf pan with cooking spray or form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.
Although these muffins are gluten free, they are not super low carb as they are made with oats. If you are on the keto diet, you can try substituting a lower carb option such as almond flour. That being said, the oats have soluble fiber to help keep you full for longer, so they’re a great option for many people.
Although I love to use leftover chicken in my chicken pastina soup or this chicken burrito casserole, this recipe needs raw ground chicken. They’re basically like mini meatloaves, so they need the raw meat to form properly in the oven.
Technically, yes. Oat flour should absorb the same way as regular oats. However, you won’t have quite the same texture.
Serving Suggestions
You can eat these chicken meatloaf muffins by themselves as a quick meal or snack, or pair them along with your favorite sides and a salad or some fresh or cooked vegetables.
Try with any of the following sides:
- Crockpot Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Tots
- Healthy Roasted Potatoes
- 5-Ingredient Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Ranch Carrots
- Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon
- No-Mayo Coleslaw
Recipe Variations
- Different meat: Try ground turkey or ground beef.
- Different veggies: Try grated zucchini, finely chopped red pepper, minced green onions, or mushrooms.
- Add dried herbs: Try basil, oregano, thyme or Italian seasoning.
- Add fresh herbs: Add some fresh parsley or cilantro.
- Add cheese: Try adding parmesan cheese to the meat mixture and top each muffin with shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (or sub in your favorite)!
More Similar Recipes
- 5 Ingredient Meatloaf
- Chicken Zucchini Poppers
- Baby-Led Weaning Chicken Avocado Poppers
- Chicken Parmesan Burgers
- Feta Chicken Burger Recipe
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Easy Chicken Muffins
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup low fat milk or milk alternative
- 1 pound extra lean ground chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped or grated sweet onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese optional
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
For topping (optional):
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or line muffin tin with 12 silicone muffin liners.
- Combine oats and milk in a small bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened.
- To a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, the oat mixture, hot sauce, carrot, garlic, onion, egg, parmesan cheese (if using), salt and pepper. Mix ingredients until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, divide chicken mixture into muffin cups, filling 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top each meatloaf muffin with marinara sauce. You can also add some grated cheese at this time if you wish. Place back in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Allow to cool for several minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use extra lean or lean ground chicken. If you go with a higher fat variety, the grease may spill out of the muffin tin while baking.
- Do not over mix. Be careful not to overmix the meat mixture as it may result in dense meatloaf muffins. Instead, mix until the ingredients are just combined.
- Spray the muffin tin well with cooking spray or use silicone muffin liners. This will help prevent the meatloaf from sticking to the pan and will save you from having to scrub the pan once finished cooking (you’re welcome)!
- Once cooked, let the meatloaf muffins rest in the pan to allow the juices from the meatloaf to redistribute. This will result in juicier and tastier meatloaf.
- Be sure to make a double batch for easy freezer meals! They’re so handy when you need something quick!
- If you wish, you can melt some cheese on top of the muffins. It really adds to the overall taste of the muffins and makes them more kid-friendly too! Add some shredded cheese to the top of each muffin when you add the marinara sauce.
- Freezing Directions: Bake as directed above. Remove from muffin pan and allow to cool. Place on a baking sheet and flash freeze. Place in a freezer bag, label and freeze. You can freeze them up to 3 months. To serve: Reheat in microwave for 1-2 minutes or allow to thaw in the fridge and eat warm or cold.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted May 2015 and was updated in April 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.
I used breadcrumbs and barbecue sauce in the mix instead of the oats. It was quite tasty.
I bet they were tasty with those substitutions! Thanks so much for sharing this feedback!
Absolutely love these meatloaf muffins and so does the rest of my family!
So happy that you’ve been enjoying the meatloaf muffins! Thanks so much for returning to leave a rating and review!
Oatmeal and I don’t get along. Would it be possible to substitute breadcrumbs? If so, would it be a 1for 1 swap? Thank you!!
Yes, you can definitely sub in the bread crumbs! I would start with 1:1 and then if the meat mixture seems too wet you could add a bit more. Hope you enjoy!!
This is a really creative recipe, I’m diggin it. I would never have thought to use chicken like that, but will have to try it!
Thank you Adam! :) The ground chicken goes really well with the other flavours in this recipe. You don’t even miss the beef! Hope you enjoy!
These looks like exactly what I need for quick meals in a pinch! They DO look pretty!!
Thanks Cassandrea! If you make up a batch of these meatloaf muffins in advance and store them in the freezer, these will quickly become your best friend! Such a time saver!!