These BBQ chicken meatballs are tender, juicy, and coated in your favorite bbq sauce (I recommend a homemade, smoky-sweet version). They’re ready in under 30 minutes and everything you’d want in a quick, whole-family-pleasing dinner, They’re oven-baked (no frying, no flipping!) and perfect for busy weeknights or make-ahead meal prep.
These BBQ chicken meatballs are juicy, saucy, and entirely irresistible. We’re talking tender, flavorful chicken meatballs (yes, chicken can be juicy, I promise!), tossed in your favorite barbecue sauce and baked — not fried, not fussy. They’re simple enough for a weeknight (and are on weekly rotation in my house) but still feel special enough to serve to company. We pile them onto mashed potatoes (or garlic mashed potatoes, if I’m feeling fancy) with a side of roasted broccoli and call it dinner, but sliders? Absolutely yes. Game day appetizer? Also yes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No browning, no flipping, no stress. Just roll, brush with oil, and bake. They go from These BBQ chicken meatballs bake in the oven for a mess-free and (mostly) hands-off technique.
- Ground chicken, but never dry. A little fat + smart technique (if I do say so myself) means you’ll have juicy, tender meatballs every time.
- Perfect for parties. They make a great finger food (serve with toothpicks to keep your actual fingers clean!) but also taste great as sliders on potato rolls with coleslaw.
- Meal prep gold. They reheat amazingly (hint: add a splash of broth and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat!) and might taste even better the next day. Make a double batch and freeze some for a hectic weeknight down the road.
What You Need
Nothing too crazy here–just some humble pantry staples that come together for BIG flavor!
- Ground chicken. “Regular” ground chicken and not extra lean is best as a bit of fat help keeps the meatballs juicy (keep in mind some of that fat will render out as they cook, so use a rimmed baking sheet).
- Breadcrumbs. Use unseasoned breadcrumbs; we will be adding our own seasoning for best flavor. I’ve tested this recipe with panko and regular breadcrumbs, and regular breadcrumbs work best. My favorite thing is to use breadcrumbs made from my leftover sourdough bread, which also works great!
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is BEST, and a garlic press makes super quick and easy work of it. In a pinch, you can substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder, but fresh really is my preference.
- Parmesan. While expected in traditional Italian meatballs, it has a home in today’s version, too. This ingredient adds moisture, a subtle, savory depth, and even helps things stick together, all without overpowering the BBQ flavor.
- BBQ sauce. Use your favorite! I am partial to my homemade BBQ sauce (tastes great on everything from pulled pork to BBQ chicken pizza!).
SAM’S TIP: Use a rimmed baking sheet! Some of the fat will render out of the meatballs as they cook, and you don’t want that spilling into your oven and starting a fire.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make BBQ Chicken Meatballs
- Whisk the breadcrumbs, cheese, and spices together in a large bowl, this helps ensure all the flavors will be well distributed before the chicken goes in.
- Add the chicken, egg, and garlic and use your hands to gently work it all together. Don’t overthink it–and definitely don’t over-mix–just go until everything’s combined. Overworking the meat is the fastest way to end up with tough meatballs (or tough anything made with ground meat, this also applies to smash burgers) and we don’t want that!
- Portion the meatballs into 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls and place on a rimmed parchment lined baking sheet. Uniform size = uniform cooking; a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop works well for this and gets the job done quickly. You can roll them to make them totally round but I usually don’t.
- Brush the tops of the meatballs with oil. This helps encourage slight browning and prevents the meatballs from drying out in the oven. Bake until cooked through (165F), then it’s sauce time.
- Warm the BBQ sauce in a large pot that will fit all of your meatballs. Once the meatballs are cooked through, remove them from the oven and transfer to the pot of sauce.
- Stir the meatballs to coat them evenly in sauce. Let cook for a few minutes before serving; if the sauce starts drying out too much on the stovetop, just add a splash of broth or water (I often do this when reheating leftovers too!).
SAM’S TIP: While some recipes will have you flip your meatballs halfway through baking, I found it didn’t really make a difference here.
Make this recipe work for you!
- Make ahead for meal prep: form and place your meatballs on the baking sheet, then cover (wrap pan with plastic wrap) and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. This makes prep SO easy–just uncover and bake when needed! Note that when baked from fridge, the meatballs sometimes take longer.
- Sear on the stovetop: One of my favorite parts of this recipe is their quick, no-fuss nature, but if you’re feeling fancy you can skip the oven and use your stovetop instead! To do this, heat the oil in a large pot over medium/high heat until shimmering, then sear meatballs in batches until cooked through. Once all batches are cooked, add the barbecue sauce to the skillet, bring to a simmer over medium/low heat, and add all meatballs into the sauce.
- Swap the meat: ground beef or ground turkey works just as well here. Again, don’t use a super lean cut though, as we need some fat for juicy results!
- Make it a full meal: add a green veggie on the side (we like roasted brussels sprouts or asparagus) and a starch, like dinner rolls, mac and cheese, or roasted potatoes.
- Save them for game day: serve your BBQ chicken meatballs in buns as sliders or in a slow cooker alongside your other favorite game day recipes like deviled eggs or buffalo chicken dip.
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think of it, I always appreciate your feedback!
Enjoy!
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BBQ Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For meatballs
- ¾ cup (95 g) plain breadcrumbs
- ½ cup (40 g) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lbs (907 g) ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
For cooking
- Cooking oil for brushing (olive or avocado)
- 2 cups bbq sauce (Use your favorite variety or use my homemade bbq sauce)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.¾ cup (95 g) plain breadcrumbs, ½ cup (40 g) grated parmesan cheese, 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add ground chicken, egg, and garlic and use your hands to gently work ingredients together to completely combine (you want the ingredients well-distributed, but take care not to overwork the meat as it can cause your meatballs to be tough).2 lbs (907 g) ground chicken, 1 large egg, 3 cloves garlic
- Scoop meatballs onto 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized (28g) balls and place on prepared baking sheet. The meatballs will be close to all fit on the tray, but don’t let them touch.
- Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the top of each meatballs with a bit of cooking oil.Cooking oil
- Transfer meatballs to center rack of 425F (220C) preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes (if checking with a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 160-165F (74C) when finished baking). As the meatballs cook, warm the BBQ sauce:
- While meatballs are baking, heat barbecue sauce in a large pot over medium/low heat.2 cups bbq sauce
- Once meatballs have finished baking, immediately transfer to the pot and stir to coat with the barbecue sauce. Cook several minutes, until sauce clings to the meatballs (ensure meatballs are cooked through), and serve warm. We like to serve these over my favorite mashed potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes and a side of roasted broccoli for a complete meal!
Notes
BBQ sauce
Use your favorite brand or make my homemade bbq sauce recipe.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These freeze well, too, and will keep frozen for up to 3 months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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