MARRY ME CHICKEN MEATBALLS

5 from 9 votes

These easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free chicken meatballs are tossed in an irresistibly creamy and flavorful sauce that will have your whole family returning for seconds!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken meatballs, Meatballs, Saucy chicken

Servings:

Author: Olivia Adriance

Ingredients

2 pound ground chicken (see note)
7 cloves garlic, grated or minced (divided)
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped (divided)
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (divided)
1 cup fresh basil, chopped (divided)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (divided)
½ cup almond flour
13.5 oz can coconut milk
½ cup chicken bone broth
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to season
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch + 2-3 tablespoons of water or bone broth

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, ½ of your chopped garlic, onion powder, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon oregano, almond flour, ½ cup chopped basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and mix gently until combined.
Using damp hands coated in avocado oil, roll the meatball mixture into 1 ½-inch balls.
Add the meatballs to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then, broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
When the meatballs have almost finished baking, start making your sauce by heating a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add the rest of your sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Add additional oil only if needed. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the coconut milk, bone broth, and nutritional yeast, stirring to combine, and bring to a slow simmer.
In a small glass, combine the arrowroot starch and a few tablespoons of water or broth and whisk until no lumps remain.
Whisk the arrowroot slurry into the simmering sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken and stir in the remaining fresh chopped basil.
When the meatballs have finished broiling, remove them from the oven and add them to the sauce, stirring gently to coat.
Simmer for a few minutes before removing from heat.
Serve over starch of choice — such as mashed potatoes, rice, or gluten-free pasta — and enjoy!

Notes

I prefer to use chilled ground chicken straight from the fridge for this recipe instead of letting the meat come to room temperature like I usually would. I find this helps the meatballs stay rolled into tight balls.

Nutrition