Tasty and healthy, these veggie-loaded, protein-packed, Ground Chicken Meatballs with Carrots are so easy to make. Plunk them into your favorite sauce and enjoy them with pasta. Or, toss them into a salad or bowl, for a quick meal.
Sometimes, I choose to have chicken meatballs WITH some carrots on the side. Other times, I think what’s the fun in that, and I combine carrots INTO my chicken meatballs!
From pizza to snack bars to cupcakes, I love to sneak a side of veggies into most of the things I cook and bake.
The other night, I decided to combine carrots and ground chicken to make these easy Chicken Meatballs for dinner for my boyfriend and me. And, I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty these little guys turned out. So, I had to share them here.
I make and enjoy chicken meatballs often. They can be infused with so much flavor and they are so versatile.
What are the ingredients needed to make these Ground Chicken Meatballs with Carrots?
I used the following 11 ingredients, and they are:
- Ground chicken
The ground chicken I use is a blend of white meat and dark meat. Usually, I pick whichever brand is on sale, so don’t have a preference. In case you happen to have ground turkey on hand, feel free to use that. However, I have found that when I make this recipe with ground turkey, the turkey meatballs tend to be a tad bit drier than their chicken counterparts. - Yellow onion
I used half of a yellow onion as that’s what I have on hand. But, a red onion or even shallots can be used instead. If you want to save time, most grocery stores have pre-peeled and pre-cut onions in their produce section. Onion powder could be used, but I like to use fresh onion in this recipe not only for its flavor, but it also adds moisture to these chicken meatballs. - Garlic cloves
Fresh garlic cloves are what I used. As with the onion, you can find peeled and cut garlic in the produce section. - Ginger
I like to add fresh ginger to these chicken meatballs not only for flavor, but ginger seems to help all sorts of digestive issues. - Harissa
I happen to love Harissa and use it often. However, if you do not have any harissa on hand, for these balls you could add in 2 teaspoons of coriander instead. - Smoked paprika
This adds such a lovely aroma and flavor to these chicken meatballs. However, if you dont have any on hand, it can be omitted. - Black pepper
This is totally optional and can be left out if you don’t have any. - Salt
I don’t usually include salt in the ingredient list. But, as these chicken meatballs are baked, and salt unites and accents all the flavors so beautifully, it is listed here. - Dried parsley
I was out of fresh parsley so used some of the dry parsley I had on hand. However, if you dont have any on hand, feel free to omit this. - Almond flour
I love the texture almond flour lends to meatballs so used it to make these chicken meatballs. Another reason I use it is that it acts as a binder. However, it can be substituted with bread crumbs or flour. - Carrot
Well, this ingredient is the co-star in this recipe so I would not leave it out. If you want to overload these chicken meatballs with veggies, you could add in half the quantity of grated carrots as well as some chopped spinach or grated zucchini.
Serving Suggestions:
These little guys are so versatile. I have tossed them in a creamy coconut tomato sauce and served them with pasta.
I have also enjoyed them tossed into a salad along with this vinaigrette.
And then there are those times when I immensely enjoy them dipped into some mango chutney or pumpkin chili sauce.
What to do with leftovers?
These ground chicken meatballs with carrots are a fantastic addition to weekly meal prepping. They can be made and enjoyed for about a week, as long as they are stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
These chicken meatballs can also be frozen BEFORE they are baked. Just mix all the ingredients, form them into balls, place the balls on a silpat-lined baking tray so they are not touching, and place them in the freezer. In a couple of hours, once they are frozen, place them in a gallon-size sealable plastic bag or airtight container. This step is incredibly important as otherwise they will be too frosty. Once they are placed in a plastic bag or airtight container, they can be frozen for up to a month. When you are ready to use them, thaw them in the fridge for about 2 hours and then place them on a lined baking tray, bake (per directions below), and enjoy!
These chicken meatballs with carrots are a delicious way to get more veggies and protein into your diet and your family’s diet. And, they are so easy to make! Just throw all the ingredients together, mix with a spoon, form into balls and bake! That’s it!
From prepping the onion, ginger, and garlic to pulling these out of the oven, these always take about 35 minutes to make. I hope you enjoy these chicken meatballs as much as we did.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lb ground chicken
- 1/2 a small yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch chunk of fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 a large carrot grated approximately 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then peel and chop the onion, ginger, and garlic.
- Add the peeled and chopped garlic, onion, and ginger to a large bowl.
- Add the ground chicken, almond flour, parsley, harissa, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt into the same bowl.
- Mix all the ingredients well.
- Form into bite-sized balls and place on a silpat-lined or parchment-lined baking tray.
- Place in the 375-degree oven and bake for 25–30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy!h
What a clever way to sneak some extra veggies into a meal! We do love meatballs, and we always keep a bag in the freezer. Now I’ll have to try them with these spices + carrots. I bet the carrots add moisture so the meatballs don’t try out. So fun!!
The recipe was simple to follow and the meatballs turned out juicy and flavorful. The addition of carrots added a nice crunch and sweetness. Definitely making this again!
This was such a great way to use chicken mince. So much flavour!