Chicken Meatballs (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free, Egg Free, Nut Free)
These baked chicken meatballs are the perfect make-ahead protein because they’re easy, delicious, freezable, gluten free, egg free, and dairy free! Who could ask for anything more?
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini about 6 inches long or ¼ pound
- 1 pound ground chicken thighs or ground turkey (not super lean)
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and extra for greasing the pan and hands
- ¾ teaspoon Magic Mushroom Powder or another Nom Nom Paleo spice blend or Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the middle.
- While the oven is heating, shred the zucchini with the large holes of a grater. Gather the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and with a firm grip, wring out the extra liquid. You should end up with about ¾ cup drained shredded zucchini.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded zucchini with the ground chicken, extra virgin olive oil, Magic Mushroom Powder (or Diamond Crystal kosher salt), garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
- Gently mix the meatball ingredients with your hands, but don’t overwork the meat. Use the zucchini strands as a guide—once they’re uniformly distributed, you’re done!
- At this point, you can check for seasoning by frying up a tiny patty or microwaving it for 30 seconds. Taste it and adjust the seasoning accordingly! Bonus tip: at this point, you can chill the meatball mixture in the fridge for up to a day before forming the meatballs.
- Use a medium (1½ tablespoon disher) to portion out 18 individual 1-inch meatballs. Then, coat your palms with extra virgin olive oil and roll the meatballs into uniform spheres.
- Place the meatballs on a greased rimmed baking sheet and pop ’em in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating at the halfway point.
- The meatballs are done when the internal temperature measures 165°F and the tops are lightly browned. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Wanna cook them in an air fryer? You can air-fry the chicken meatballs in a single layer, in batches, at 400°F for about 12 to 15 minutes. The meatballs will brown a lot nicer in the air fryer than in the oven!
Nutrition
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g