These scrumptious stuffing chicken meatballs combine ground chicken, stuffing, cranberries and plenty of flavourful herbs. They’re such a comforting appetizer or meal that’s sure to become a family favourite.
This time of year has me craving all sorts of comfort food. The cool, crisp air. The shorter days when it gets dark that much earlier. The warmer sweaters and seasonal drinks. I just love it. You too?
These stuffing chicken meatballs are the epitome of comfort food, if you ask me. They give all sorts of cozy vibes, especially since they combine chicken, savoury seasonings and stuffing (which I adore). Plus, they smell so good as they bake.
Whenever I’m craving a roast chicken or turkey dinner but don’t want all the fuss, these stuffing and chicken meatballs help to satisfy that itch without all the fuss.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken
- Prepared stuffing: Use chicken or turkey flavoured boxed stuffing mix. Alternatively, use a homemade version if you prefer.
- Egg
- Onion: I used yellow onion, but white onion also works.
- Cranberries: I used dried sweetened cranberries. They contrast nicely with the savoury flavours.
- Seasoning: Includes sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and black pepper.
How To Make Stuffing Chicken Meatballs
Here is an overview of how to make stuffing chicken meatballs (full details are in the recipe card below):
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, prepared stuffing, egg, onion, cranberries and seasoning.
- Mix the ingredients together until they’re combined.
- Form the ground chicken mixture into meatballs and place them onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Bake the chicken meatballs until they’re fully cooked through.
When Are the Meatballs Cooked?
The meatballs are cooked when they reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. I find that it takes about 25 minutes to bake the meatballs. However, to be sure, use an instant-read meat thermometer. It’s such a convenient and handy tool to have in the kitchen. By using an instant-read meat thermometer, there’s no guessing; you can ensure that your meatballs are properly cooked but are also juicy and delicious.
Dipping Sauce Ideas
I served these stuffing chicken meatballs with cranberry mustard sauce. It’s such a simple sauce made with just three ingredients, and it pairs deliciously with the meatballs. If you’d rather serve them with something else, gravy would be really yummy.
Sides To Serve With It
These stuffing chicken meatballs are wonderful all on their own and are great served as an appetizer. However, you can certainly serve them as a main course with a side dish, such as:
- Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
- Homemade baked fries
- Whipped sweet potatoes
- Mashed butternut squash and sweet potato
Tips and Variations
- Protein: You can substitute ground turkey for the ground chicken if that’s what you have on hand or prefer.
- Sweetness: I really enjoy dried sweetened cranberries in these meatballs, but raisins can be used instead.
- Herbs: You can totally substitute the dried herbs for fresh. Since dried herbs are typically more potent than their fresh counterparts, use 3 times as much fresh herbs as dried. For instance, instead of using 1 teaspoon each of sage, thyme and rosemary, use 1 tablespoon of each herb. Just make sure you chop the herb leaves well so they get nicely incorporated into the meatball mixture.
- Serving: As mentioned, these stuffing meatballs can be served as a appetizer or main dish with a side. However, they can also be served other ways, such as on a tortilla to be enjoyed as a wrap. When serving them as a wrap, I love to assemble them with stuffing, cranberry sauce and some baby spinach. So yummy!
More Easy Meatball Recipes
If you make these stuffing chicken meatballs, be sure to leave a comment below!
Stuffing Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground chicken
- 2 cups prepared stuffing, I used boxed stuffing mix that I prepared and cooled
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup minced yellow onion
- ⅓ cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cranberry mustard sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the ground chicken, prepared stuffing, egg, onion, cranberries, sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and black pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Form the ground chicken mixture into meatballs (about 1.5 tablespoons of the mixture per meatball). Place the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, leaving a little space between them. You should have about 23 to 25 meatballs.Note: Depending on how much moisture is in your stuffing and ground chicken, the mixture may be a tad sticky. You can use food-safe disposable gloves or wet your hands with some cold water to help minimize the mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Bake the meatballs for 25 minutes or until they're fully cooked through (they should no longer be pink, be brown throughout and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the centre of the meatballs when checked with an instant-read meat thermometer).
- Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish and serve with cranberry mustard sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Protein: You can substitute ground turkey for the ground chicken if that’s what you have on hand or prefer.
- Sweetness: I really enjoy dried sweetened cranberries in these meatballs, but raisins can be used instead.
- Herbs: You can totally substitute the dried herbs for fresh. Since dried herbs are typically more potent than their fresh counterparts, use 3 times as much fresh herbs as dried. For instance, instead of using 1 teaspoon each of sage, thyme and rosemary, use 1 tablespoon of each herb. Just make sure you chop the herb leaves well so they get nicely incorporated into the meatball mixture.
- Serving: As mentioned, these stuffing meatballs can be served as a appetizer or main dish with a side. However, they can also be served other ways, such as on a tortilla to be enjoyed as a wrap. When serving them as a wrap, I love to assemble them with stuffing, cranberry sauce and some baby spinach. So yummy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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Tried this recipe?
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