Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
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Winner, winner meatball dinner! Quick, easy, and irresistibly tasty, these baked chicken meatballs with a tangy glaze make the perfect fuss-free family supper.
If you’re looking for an alternative to traditional meatballs or turkey meatballs in marinara sauce, these light and elegant chicken meatballs fit the bill. I love them with mashed potatoes, puréed cauliflower, polenta, or buttered noodles for a quick and easy weeknight meal. They also make a delicious appetizer—just make them smaller and spear them with toothpicks.
Table of Contents
“I made a triple recipe of these for a family dinner…Everyone loved them, especially my younger grandsons.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Meatballs With Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
When purchasing ground chicken, stay away from extra-lean all breast meat; if the meat is too lean, the meatballs will come out dry and lacking in flavor.
Tomato paste can be purchased in a small can or tube. While I use canned here, the tubed variety is more practical because you can use just what you need and store it in the fridge until you need it again. To preserve canned tomato paste longer, freeze it in tablespoon-sized portions (use an ice cube tray or put tablespoon-sized portions on a cookie sheet). Once frozen, transfer these portions into a freezer-safe plastic bag for future use.
The recipe calls for pecorino Romano cheese, a hard Italian sheep milk cheese. It is similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, in that both cheeses have salty, umami-rich flavors, but pecorino Romano is saltier, tangier, and stronger in flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the egg, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Mix well with a wire whisk, making sure the tomato paste is completely dissolved.
Add the ground chicken, grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
Use your hand to mix the ingredients together; it will be somewhat wet.
Using wet hands, form medium-sized balls and place into an ungreased 9-x-13-in baking dish.
Next, make the glaze by combining the tomato paste, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Brush the glaze evenly over the meatballs.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball registers 160°F. Remove from the oven and serve.
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Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
Winner, winner meatball dinner! Quick, easy, and irresistibly tasty, these baked chicken meatballs with a tangy glaze make the perfect fuss-free family supper.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground chicken (preferably Purdue, not extra lean all breast meat)
- ½ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Italian seasoned bread crumbs
For the Glaze
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the egg, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Mix well with a wire whisk, making sure the tomato paste is completely dissolved.
- Add the ground chicken, grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Use your hand to mix the ingredients together; it will be somewhat wet. Form medium-sized balls and place into an ungreased 9-x-13-in baking dish.
- Make the glaze by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Brush evenly over the meatballs. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball registers 160°F. Remove from the oven and serve.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked meatballs can be frozen, with their glaze, for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw them in the fridge and then reheat them, tightly covered with foil, in a 300°F oven, until hot in the center.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 119
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 161 mg
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These are delicious with pasta and sauce, but i also made the mixture into a meat loaf. None of the family are big meat loaf lovers, but we all loved this. Served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and a couple of vegetable sides, it was so comforting on a cold Canadian winter night. Thanks Jenn!
These were awesome. Next time I will make more glaze though — can’t get too much of that.
I used a small scoop the size for making melon balls and got 50 that were perfect appetizer size.
Your recipes have been fantastic! I haven’t had one that’s failed yet or that we didn’t like.
So nice to hear, Jill. Glad you enjoyed!
The chicken tomato-balsamic glazed meatballs were fabulous. Everyone enjoyed them a lot, as they were flavorful and moist for a chicken meatball. I followed the recipe to the dime, but the next time I make these, I will make extra glaze and top the cooked meatballs after they come out of the oven for extra tangy sauce on the finished product. Overall a great appitizer, thanks Jennifer 🙂
Have made this many times for my family and friends. Always a hit. I leave off the tomato glaze and serve beside Jennifer’s macaroni and cheese recipe.
I’m always on the look out for a good, easy weeknight meal. We really enjoyed these. I double the glaze.
I made these for a super bowl party as an appetizer. I found them a tad dry and really needed a sauce to serve with them (I used my own homemade BBQ rather than the balsamic glaze and served extra on the side). I used mixed thigh and breast meat (bought some roasters on sale and boned them all) which I ground in a food processor. I have a party coming up and will likely try again but add about 1/4 cup panade made of panko and buttermilk to add a bit of moisture.
We love this recipe except that we don’t include the balsamic in the glaze because my child is not a fan of vinegar. It still tastes amazing! We usually just serve the meatballs with pasta and tomato sauce and garlic bread.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. They look and sound soooo good? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. 🙂
Any SUBSTITUTE for the bread crumbs. I am avoiding WHEAT and am looking for something to use instead of wheat products.
Hi Diana, Wheat-free bread crumbs should work fine.
looking forward to your great reciepes
Thanks
I made these tonight for dinner and they were absolutely delicious! I didn’t change anything except I made some more sauce for the meatballs. Great recipe!
This recipe is great for a party. The ladies appreciated the lightness of the chicken and the men just loved the taste.
My husband made a face when I stood in the kitchen making these. Afterwards, he asked for seconds!
I can’t wait to try these for dinner this week. I’m going to serve a cold quinoa salad with mango and mint along side it. Thanks for finding creative ways even with old standbys like ground chicken.
I thought these were wonderful. I served them as an appetizer at a get-together I hosted at my home last weekend. They were a definite hit. I did add 1/4 teaspoon of pepper flakes because I tend to like things a bit spicy and so do my friends.
Yumm! I love these chicken meatballs. I serve mine with marinated roasted peppers and it is so good.
These are delicious and the glaze really distinguishes these from other meatballs.
I made this tonight for the first time and liked it. I’ve never seen 1/2 T. but found it is 1 1/2 tsp. The Pecorino Romano was expensive but I wanted to use what the recipe called for so bought it. I read it is a salty cheese so used 1/4 tsp of salt instead of 1/2 tsp. Also I forgot to get fresh parsley so used 1T plus 1 tsp. of dried. Otherwise I followed the recipe. Next time I would make more sauce and add a bit more on the meatballs. I cooked 30 minutes and they were over 160 degrees but still moist and good.
Hi made these and they were delish!! Was wondering how they would be if you made a patty and put on the grill??
Hi Melody, So glad you enjoyed the meatballs. Unfortunately, I don’t think they’d hold up on the grill b/c the mixture is very wet.
What a clever twist on the classic meatball. Nomnom!
Yummo!! The balsamic glaze was a clever move…The meatballs got a lot of “oomph” from it. I always wonder what to do with my huge bottle of balsamic vinegar other than making salad dressing and you just gave me a wonderful idea.
Just made – fantastic!
This has become one of my go-to recipes for a weeknight meal that I can make ahead (I make and shape the meatballs earlier in the day) and pop in the oven right before serving. My husband and toddler love these meatballs as much as I do. I’ve made these meatballs with ground turkey in the past when that’s all I had in the freezer, and they’re definitely better with ground chicken, so do search out the ground chicken if you can. Otherwise, I make the recipe exactly as written, and the flavor is outstanding. Thanks for another great recipe, Jennifer!
I try not to eat a lot of red meat, so these are a great looking, delicious alternative!
I cannot wait to try these! I am always on the lookout for a new meatball recipe, but from the looks of these, I will be full before dinner is even served. 😉
Looking forward to making these meatballs. My husband has to limit his beef intake and I think he will enjoy this alternative.
I made these for a group potluck after finding this link on foodgawker.com. Amazing!
could you also cook these on the stove? or oven is best?
Eliana, Oven is best.
I find ground turkey to be so much nicer than chicken, but these look great!
My family was so impressed, everyone asked for the recipe!
Just had to come back 2 years later and say that I am still making this recipe. I’ve made it with chicken, turkey, and my favorite PORK!!
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Just made these for Father’s day – WOW. My family was so impressed, everyone asked for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, I highly recommend fellow readers make these!
my husband can’t have beef so i’m always looking for alternatives…what a great recipe. the whole family gobbled these up…tons of flavor and really delicious. definitely a keeper…thanks!
I made the chicken meatballs the past two nights. They were soooo good. I did a better job the second night. I used a little less cheese. I paired them with the brussels sprouts, which were equally good. My husband said it’s the best thing I ever made. Thanks for all your great recipes!!
Michelle – You can omit the cheese and substitute chicken stock or water for the milk.
I added chicken broth instead of the milk – and no cheese. The mix became way too moist to form the balls. Had to add alot more bread crumbs. Hope they still turn out okay!
Jan
How did they turn out?
Great recipe–thanks! We have made it twice and used both chicken and turkey. Both were great.
I love this recipe idea. I don’t mix dairy with meat, so do you have some ideas for a good substitute for the milk and cheese?
Made these for dinner last night, and I thought they were fantastic! I’ve already forwarded the recipe to some friends. Keep the fabulous recipes coming, I’m loving them!
Danna – I believe you can, but I would first ask your butcher if he would do it for you. Good luck!
I can’t get ground chicken where I live… could you put chicken breasts in the food processor?
You may want to use chicken thighs in stead of breast meat—they have more flavor. I grind them with the steel blade in my food processor often!
my husband can’t have beef so i’m always looking for alternatives…what a great recipe. the whole family gobbled these up…tons of flavor and really delicious. definitely a keeper…thanks!
Made these for dinner and they were AMAZING! Seriously, ate seven of them!I paired them with an herb salad w/balsamic dressing, bottle of wine…it was truly perfect. And very easy to make!
wow! I must try these!
Memoira – I find that the texture of ground chicken is different from that of ground turkey. Cooked ground chicken can be rubbery, so this recipe calls for a fair amount of milk and breadcrumbs to counteract that. I suppose it wouldn’t be bad with turkey, but this recipe is really made for chicken. Hope you enjoy!
Oh my God, these look delicious. And I love the pics!!
Yummy! These look great; I’m bookmarking this one. What’s the reason ground turkey can’t be used? Just curious…