Gluten Free Chicken Meatballs

Absolutely love the zesty blend of garlic and lemon? These baked gluten free chicken meatballs are an absolute delight! This is an easy gluten free meal that's quick to whip up. They're bursting with incredible flavor, especially with the added freshness of basil. Plus, there's no shortage of flavorful sauce, perfect for serving over pasta or alongside some creamy mashed potatoes.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

You're going to adore these homemade chicken meatballs. Not only are these baked chicken meatballs easy to make, but their vibrant mix of garlic, lemon, and fresh basil creates an unbeatable flavor combo. The best part? You'll have plenty of delicious sauce to pair them with your favorite pasta or my irresistible Whipped Mashed Potatoes. Get ready to indulge. They're so good!

Ingredients You Will Need

Ground Chicken: Lean ground chicken is a versatile protein that helps absorb the flavors of the seasoning and sauce easily, making it a good choice for these meatballs.

Almond Meal/Flour: Almond flour is typically finer and made from blanched almonds, while almond meal is coarser and often includes the almond skins in its preparation. You can use either in this recipe to create a denser and chewier texutre for your bars.

Egg: The egg in this recipe acts as a natural binder by providing the necessary cohesion to hold the ingredients for the meatballs together, ensuring they maintain their shape and texture.

Salt and Pepper: Salt enhances and balances flavors, while ground black pepper adds a gentle heat, improving the overall flavor of a dish.

Onion: I prefer yellow onion for this recipe as it has a bolder flavor than sweet onions but you can certainly use sweet if you prefer.

Ghee: Incorporating ghee into this sauce adds a rich, nutty flavor. Ghee is clarified - meaning impurities have been removed, resulting in a pure and clear form of butterfat with lower lactose content than butter. This ghee is my favorite and you can use PennysPrimal15 for a discount!

Lemon: Lemon juice adds a fresh, bright, and tangy element, which can help balance the richness of the other ingredients.

Garlic: Incorporating garlic adds a savory note that enhances the dish with its bold and aromatic flavor.

Fresh Basil: Opt for fresh basil over dried for this sauce, as the freshness complements the other bright flavors in this dish and adds a nice aroma.

Coconut Cream: Coconut cream is ideal for dairy-free dishes, providing a creamy texture with a taste that is very mild and usually hidden by other flavors. Opting for coconut cream over coconut milk creates a thicker, creamier texture.

Chicken Bone Broth: You have the option of using either chicken bone broth or regular chicken broth; the bone broth offers enhanced health benefits along with a richer flavor profile.

Paprika: A touch of paprika in the sauce imparts a subtle smokiness to the overall flavor.

Instructions

Preheat oven: Before preparing the meatballs, preheat your oven to 350°F.

Prep the meatballs: Combine all of the meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Form into 12 meatballs and be careful that you don't roll them too hard, which can make their texture too dense.

Bake the meatballs: Once the oven is preheated, bake the meatballs until they are no longer pink, which should take about 10 minutes.

Start the sauce: While the meatballs are baking, melt the ghee in a large skillet. Add the onions, cooking until they are translucent and then incorporate the garlic, stirring for one minute.

Add your liquid: Add the broth and coconut cream to the large skillet. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Incorporate some acidity: Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, then simmer for 5 more minutes.

Add the meatballs in: Once the sauce is ready, add the meatballs in and toss to fully coat them in the pan sauce.

Make it fresh: Add basil, stirring it in gently. Then sprinkle in the paprika. Add lemon slices to the pan for an extra burst of flavor.

Simmer it: Let everything simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don't overwork the mixture: When shaping the meatballs, be mindful not to overwork the mixture; excessive rolling or handling can result in denser meatballs.

Watch the baking time: Bake the meatballs for about 10 minutes or until they've lost their pink color, allowing them to gently finish cooking in the sauce to retain their tenderness and prevent dryness.

Recipe Variations

Switch up the protein: For a poultry or beef twist on gluten free meatballs, simply substitute ground chicken with ground turkey or beef. The change in protein offers a different flavor profile while maintaining the gluten free aspect of the dish.

Change how you serve it: These gluten free chicken meatballs are so delicious on their own, but they also pair nicely with pasta, over mashed potatoes, over cauliflower rice or white rice - there are so many possibilities!

Try an air fryer: While the oven works great to cook these meatballs, you can also make air fryer chicken meatballs instead of baking in your oven.

Storage Tips

These Gluten Free Chicken Meatballs can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days when placed in a sealed airtight glass container, and they're freezer-safe for up to 6 months.

FAQs About Gluten Free Chicken Meatballs

How do you keep chicken meatballs from falling apart?

To prevent chicken meatballs from falling apart, consider using a binder like eggs or a mixture of eggs and a bit of almond flour (like in this meatball recipe) or gluten free breadcrumbs. This helps hold the meatballs together without compromising texture.

What are gluten free meatballs made of?

Gluten free meatballs typically use ground chicken or another meat, combined with ingredients like herbs, spices, eggs, and a gluten free binder such as almond flour or gluten free breadcrumbs.

What can I use in meatballs instead of breadcrumbs?

Instead of breadcrumbs, I love opting for almond flour as this recipe calls for. Incorporating eggs will also help keep the meatballs together. You could also opt to use panko or some grated cheese to help too.