Chicken Apple Meatballs

These chicken apple meatballs are a winning dish, and can be served in appetizer or entrée portions!

While I absolutely adore the holiday season (it’s definitely my favorite time of the year), there are two things that December often lacks – time and money.  It seems that no matter how well you plan for this month, your schedule gets a bit crazier than expected and there are just a few more expenditures than anticipated. 

So when I’m doing my meal planning in December, I like looking for options that are both inexpensive and not overly time consuming.  One ingredient I’m lovin’ this time of year is ground chicken.  It’s cheap, versatile, and easy to grab at any supermarket. 

Of course, finding the right recipe is important so that it doesn’t dry out.  I love to use it in this cranberry chicken meatloaf if I have the time.  Or if I’m looking for something super simple and quick, I’ll make an easy dinner bowl with sautéed ground chicken, sweet potatoes, onions and peppers.  {Tip – pop the sweet potatoes in the microwave until fork tender, then add ‘em to the sauté pan with everything else.  It all cooks quickly this way!}

But I think I’ve found my favorite way to use ground chicken with these chicken apple meatballs!  Think super tasty, but with minimal inexpensive ingredients and just a small amount of active cooking time.  

Really, the only thing that takes your attention in the kitchen is sautéing the onions.  While it takes an extra few minutes, I don’t recommend skipping this step.  When you cook the onions on the stovetop first, they get that lovely caramelized flavor.  It adds depth to the meatballs and pairs incredibly well with the apple.  Plus, it can be done while the oven is preheating.  I tried making these by just adding the raw chopped onion in, and while they’re okay – they’re not nearly as delicious as taking the extra step to sauté them.

Once you’ve done that, you just mix together all the ingredients, roll ‘em into meatballs, and pop them in the oven.  Easy, right?!

The great thing about these is that they’re really versatile.  You can use them for dinner, or you can make them in mini meatballs for appetizers.  You can eat them alone as the protein portion of your dish.  Or you can experiment with different ways to include them in a cohesive dish. 

I love them topped with fresh homemade cranberry sauce (made ahead of time on the weekend if I need to save time), served alongside some roasted broccoli (easy to make in the oven at the same time the meatballs are cooking!).  You could also place them on top of salad greens along with some sliced apples and dried cranberries.  Or you can mix them into pasta and toss with a little wilted spinach, chopped apple, garlic, lemon and olive oil.  Lots of possibilities!

And at less than 300 calories per serving with 24 grams of protein, these easily fit into anyone’s meal plan.  {Bonus – with New Year’s Resolutions around the corner, these are great to keep in mind if you’re new to planning healthy meals!}.  I hope you love them as much as I do. 🙂

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Chicken Apple Meatballs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

These chicken apple meatballs are a healthy and delicious meal to add to your rotation. Made with just a few simple ingredients and less than 300 calories!

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken apple meatballs

Servings: 4

Calories: 295 kcal

Author: Snacking in Sneakers

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/2 cup grated apple (about 1 small-medium apple)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. While oven is preheating, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook over medium heat until they are tender and begin to caramelize.
3. Remove onions from heat and place in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and mix using spoon or hands.
4. Shape into 16 meatballs. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, then place the meatballs in the dish.
5. Cook at 375 F for about 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 F.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Analysis (approximate per serving; 1 serving = ¼ of recipe = 4 meatballs):

295 calories, 14 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 350 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 24 g protein, Vitamin A: 2%, Vitamin C: 7%, Calcium: 5%, Iron: 11%

Share with me:  What’s your favorite way to use ground chicken?  Do you have any inexpensive meals that you absolutely love to make?

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Chrissy Carroll

Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.

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