Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
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These balsamic-glazed chicken meatballs are what weeknight dinner dreams are made of: minimal effort, maximum flavor. Bonus–they’re also great served cocktail-party style with toothpicks.
If you’re looking for an alternative to traditional spaghetti and meatballs or turkey meatballs in marinara sauce, this light and elegant chicken meatball recipe fits the bill. I love them with mashed potatoes, puréed cauliflower, polenta, or buttered pasta for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
You can also make these chicken meatballs as an appetizer—just make them smaller and spear them with toothpicks.
“I have MANY meatball recipes – this one ranks high! Sometimes I make a double batch and use leftovers for meatball subs and meal-prep.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Meatballs With Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
- Egg: Helps bind the meatball mixture together for a cohesive, tender texture.
- Fresh Parsley: Adds freshness and a pop of color to the meatballs.
- Tomato Paste: Adds rich, concentrated tomato flavor to both the meatball mixture and glaze. I recommend buying the tomato paste that comes in a tube, which is nice because you can use just what you need and store it in the fridge until you need it again.
- Garlic: Brings bold, savory flavor to the meatballs—just one clove goes a long way.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the meatballs and helps keep them tender.
- Ground Chicken: The base of the meatballs. Choose a variety with a bit of fat for moist, flavorful results—skip the extra-lean breast meat. You can substitute ground turkey, just make sure it’s not too lean.
- Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese: Adds salty, tangy richness to the meatballs. Similar to Parmesan cheese/Parmigianno Reggiano, but sharper and more robust in flavor.
- Italian Bread Crumbs: Help hold the meatballs together while adding texture and herby flavor. If you’re cooking gluten-free, a number of brands make gluten-free versions that work well.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used in the glaze to bring everything together and add richness.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds a tangy-sweet note to the glaze that balances the tomato and sugar.
- Sugar: Rounds out the glaze with a hint of sweetness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the base. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper until the tomato paste is fully dissolved.
Step 2: Add the meat and fillers. Add the ground chicken, grated cheese, and breadcrumbs.
Step 3: Combine. Use your hands to gently mix everything together—the mixture will be a bit wet.
Step 4: Form the meatballs. With damp hands, shape the mixture into medium-sized balls and place them in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 5: Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sugar.
Step 6: Glaze the meatballs. Brush the glaze evenly over the meatballs. It may seem like it’s not enough, but a little glaze goes a long way (it’s boldly flavored) and too much will overpower the flavor of the meatballs.
Step 7: Bake and serve. Bake in a 325°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a meatball reads 160°F. Serve the meatballs hot and enjoy!
More Meatball Recipes You May Like
Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
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 lb 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 (165°C) and set a rack in the middle position.
- 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 (23 x 33-cm) 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 (71°C). Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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Comments
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I would like to make these for a party in advance. At what point in the recipe would I freeze them and then how would I proceed to finish them?
Hi Barbara, I think these would freeze well. I would suggest cooking them completely, glaze and all, before freezing them. When you’re ready to serve them, I would defrost them and then put reheat them tightly covered in a 300 degree oven, until warmed through. Hope you enjoy them!
I made these last night and they were terrific! I have made many meatball recipes and this one by far is the best I’ve ever made. I doubled the batch and still did not have left overs. Right now I’m printing all of your recipes as I try them and placing them in a bound notebook. I wished you had a cookbook. Whoever refused to publish your recipes the first time was a complete idiot. You are an amazing cook! Thank you for sharing your recipes with the world anyways!
I love these meatballs so much that I double the recipe. When I put two trays in the oven, by how much time should I increase the cooking time? Thanks!
Hi Allison, Cook time should be about the same; maybe just a few minutes longer.
This is a great alternative to traditional meatballs, and the ground chicken is very flavorful compliment to the tomato/balsamic glaze.
I might have over-cooked mine as I found them a bit dry. Next time, I may try to form burger patties or individual sized meatloaves to help maintain the juicy, yummy flavors.
Hi Kim, If you used all chicken breast meat, they might be a little dry. Try to find ground chicken that is a blend of white and dark meat.
Really, really good!
Why is the recipe not printable? I have tried to print but nothing happens. Does one have to join your mailing list in order to get access to printing the recipes?? thank you~
Hi Christie, That’s strange — if you click on the print tab, it should take you to a printable page. No need to subscribe to print recipes…what browser are you using?
Another hit, Jenn. Per the various comments, I doubled the sauce. My 6 year old inhaled them, asking for seconds. My husband was more than a little dubious, but once he started eating he liked them too!
Well done!
Can you please tell me the calories per meatball 🙂
Hi Holly, Nutritional data has been added underneath the recipe.
Could these be made in advance and frozen? (I’m planning a big New Years Day Brunch and want to make a lot of things in advance.)
Hi Susan, I do think they’d freeze well.
I absolutely loved these! I’m Italian and I have always made meatballs using beef, veal and pork and fried them in olive oil until they were nice and crispy. My family usually eats them as I fry them. But after trying this recipe I may never go back to my old ways! I don’t use the glaze, I make my own marinara sauce, delicious! Thanks Jenn for another keeper!