Today I’m sharing a recipe for keto chicken meatballs that you’re going to want to make again and again.
These meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and surprisingly simple to put together. You don’t need any fancy ingredients or complicated cooking techniques.
Just mix everything in one bowl, shape them into balls, and bake them in the oven. That’s really all there is to it.
The ingredient list is short and straightforward. You’ll need ground chicken, an egg, pork rinds, parmesan cheese, and some basic seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley.
Most of these items you probably already have in your kitchen. Ground chicken is a great lean protein option, and it’s usually easy to find at any grocery store.
These chicken meatballs are perfect for meal prep too. You can make a big batch and store them in the fridge for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week.
👍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfect for Keto Beginners: If you’re new to the keto diet, this recipe is a great place to start. It shows you how to replace high-carb ingredients with low-carb alternatives without making things complicated.
Pork Rinds as a Breadcrumb Replacement: Using pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs is a game-changer for keto cooking.
Pork rinds have zero carbs, unlike breadcrumbs which are loaded with them. When you crush them up, they look and work almost exactly like breadcrumbs.
High in Protein: Each meatball is packed with protein, which is exactly what you want when you’re eating keto. Protein keeps you full for hours, helps you build and maintain muscle, and gives you steady energy throughout the day.
✨ Recipe Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 1 Egg (large)
- 1/2 cup Pork Rinds (use these pork rinds– amazon link)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
👨🍳 How To Make
Follow this easy recipe:
Step 1
Start by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C) . Then, spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.
Step 2
In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, crushed pork rinds, beaten egg, shredded cheese, minced garlic , and all seasonings. Mix everything until all ingredients are well combined.
Step 3
Shape the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs, (~1.5 inches in size). Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 4
Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Step 5
Remove the oven and let them cool. Enjoy!
💡Tips
1. Don’t Overmix the Meat
When you’re combining all the ingredients in the bowl, mix them just until everything is evenly distributed.
Don’t keep mixing and mixing for several minutes. Overmixing ground chicken makes it tough and dense instead of tender and juicy. The proteins in the meat get worked too much and the meatballs end up with a rubbery texture that’s not pleasant to eat.
Mix with your hands or a spoon until you don’t see any dry spots and all the ingredients look evenly spread throughout the mixture. This usually takes about 30 seconds to a minute of mixing.
2. Wet Your Hands When Rolling
Before you start shaping the meatballs, wet your hands with a little bit of water or oil. This stops the meat mixture from sticking to your hands and makes rolling much easier.
The mixture can be kind of sticky because of the egg and cheese, and if your hands are dry, you’ll spend more time scraping meat off your fingers than actually making meatballs.
Keep a small bowl of water next to you while you work, and dip your hands in it between every few meatballs. You don’t need to soak them, just get them slightly damp.
3. Space Them Out on the Baking Sheet
When you put the meatballs on the baking sheet, leave at least an inch of space between each one. Don’t crowd them together or let them touch.
If they’re too close, they’ll steam instead of roast, and they won’t get that nice golden brown color on the outside.
The space between them lets hot air circulate around each meatball, which helps them cook evenly and develop a better texture. If you’re making a double batch and all the meatballs don’t fit on one pan with proper spacing, use two baking sheets.
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FAQ
Can I add vegetables to the meatball mixture?
You can add some finely chopped vegetables, but be careful about adding too much because it can make the meatballs fall apart.
Finely minced onion is a common addition – about 1/4 cup would work well. Make sure you chop it very finely, almost minced, so it distributes evenly.
Keto Chicken Meatballs
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 1 Egg large
- 1/2 cup Pork Rinds (use these pork rinds– amazon link)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C) . Then, spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, crushed pork rinds, beaten egg, shredded cheese, minced garlic , and all seasonings. Mix everything until all ingredients are well combined.
- Shape the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs, (~1.5 inches in size). Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- Remove the oven and let them cool. Enjoy!
These are solid. I doubled the batch for meal prep and froze half. One question though – can I use almond flour instead of pork rinds?