Chicken Meatballs In Cranberry Sauce

By Rena Awada | Updated On November 13, 2020

This Chicken Meatballs recipe is so juicy, tender, super tasty, and easy to make. Cooked in one pan on the stovetop with a zesty sweet cranberry sauce. A quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe that is a great meal prepping throughout the week.

best chicken meatball recipe

If you’re looking for new Thanksgiving recipe ideas, then look no further! This Chicken Meatballs recipe is so fun and tasty. They are a hit with the pickiest eaters and a family favorite recipe that’s packed with flavor. These meatballs are a perfect addition to any meal and they are great for meal prepping throughout the week.

If you’re looking for more meatball recipes, why not also try my Buffalo Chicken Meatballs or my Italian Baked Turkey Meatballs!

why you’ll love this chicken meatballs recipe

  • An easy meatball recipe. You will love how easy it is to make these mouthwatering Chicken meatballs recipe! It goes from pantry to table in 25 mins.
  • Meatballs packed with flavor. Succulent, moist, and loaded with seasonings, as well as a splash of Worcestershire sauce – they’re so flavorsome.
  • A lip-smacking cranberry sauce. It’s a sauce, it’s a glaze, it’s utterly delicious! Sweet, tangy, salty, and savory – so good.
  • Healthier meatballs. Made with lean chicken, these meatballs are healthier than beef meatballs and so much tastier!
healthy chicken meatball recipe

ingredients you’ll need

for the meatballs

  • Chicken Breast
  • Panko
  • Egg
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Seasoning: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper.
  • Fresh Rosemary or Garlic

for the sauce

  • Cranberry Sauce
  • Honey
  • Seasoning: Chili powder, cayenne pepper, chili flakes, salt & pepper.
  • Olive Oil
  • Whole Wheat Flour
holiday meatball recipe

HOW TO MAKE this CHICKEN MEATBALLS recipe

  • Make your meatball mixture – In a food processor add the meat chunks and pulse to chop. Add all the remaining ingredients and pulse again until meat is medium-fine. Then roll them into balls
  • Cook – Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, with oil, cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and golden-brown.
  • Make the sauce – In a small bowl, mix cranberry sauce with remaining ingredients until well combined.
  • Combine – Pour cranberry sauce and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until bubbly, about 5 minute
healthy chicken meatball recipe

recipe notes and tips

  • You can use turkey instead of chicken, still tastes great!
  • You can put a little bit of olive oil on your hands, to make rolling the chicken meatballs easier, plus you’ll get smoother balls!
  • Mix the meatballs thoroughly so the eggs and panko crumbs are evenly distributed.
  • You can cook these Chicken Meatballs on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the crockpot (details below).
  • If baking the meatballs, don’t over bake them. Take them out of the oven when they are cooked through and the tops are browned.
  • Store cooked and cooled Chicken Meatballs in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
chicken meatball recipe with cranberry sauce recipe

faq’s

cAN I MAKE THIS chicken meatballs RECIPE in MY crockpot?

Absolutely! To make this chicken meatball recipe in your crockpot, pour the already mixed cranberry sauce ingredients in the crockpot. Then, add the browned meatballs and stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.

different ways of cooking chicken meatballs

There are a few ways to cook chicken meatballs. We will be talking briefly about some of the ways you can cook your meatballs.

  • Stovetop – Sautee or pan fry the meatballs over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side
  • Grilled/roasted – You can grill or roast the meatballs in the oven over medium heat for about 12-15 minutes
  • Baked – Bake the chicken meatballs at 375-400 F in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until browned.

Cooking time varies depending on the size of the meatball and the method of cooking your chicken meatballs. They usually need about 15-20 minutes baked in the oven or 5-10 minutes on the stovetop. If cooking on your stovetop, they need about 2-4 minutes per side depending on size.

easy and healthy chicken meatball

What to serve with chicken meatballs

This chicken meatball recipe will seriously taste so good with whatever you serve it with. Here are a few ideas for you:

can i freeze these meatballs?

These meatballs can be frozen, either before or after cooking. Just place them on a baking sheet (cooled down if you have cooked them) and place them in the freezer for about an hour. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and transfer to a resealable plastic bag for longer-term storage. They will be good in the freezer for 1 to 3 months.

Love Meatballs? Here are a few other easy meatball recipes you could try:

cranberry chicken meatball recipe

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cranberry sauce chicken meatballs

Chicken Meatballs in Cranberry Sauce

Tender and juicy chicken meatballs cooked in an easy and delicious cranberry sauce
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 641kcal
Author: Rena

Ingredients

  • 14 oz Cranberry Sauce one can
  • ¼ Cup Honey
  • 1 Tsp Chili Powder
  • ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • ½ Tsp Chili Flakes
  • Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

Meatballs:

  • 2 lbs Chicken breast or turkey cubed
  • ¼ Cup Panko
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 Tsp Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ Tsp Kosher Salt or to taste
  • Optional: fresh rosemary, to garnish

Instructions

  • In a food processor add the meat chunks and pulse to chop. Add all the remaining ingredients and pulse again until meat is medium-fine.
  • Using wet hands form the meat mixture into about 1-inch balls. Gently roll them in flour, shaking any excess.
  • Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Drizzle with about 2 Tbsps oil and carefully add in the meatballs. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and golden-brown.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cranberry sauce with remaining ingredients until well combined.
  • Pour cranberry sauce and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until bubbly, about 5 minute 

Notes

  • You can use turkey instead of chicken, still tastes great!
  • You can put a little bit of olive oil on your hands, to make rolling the chicken meatballs easier, plus you’ll get smoother balls!
  • Mix the meatballs thoroughly so the eggs and panko crumbs are evenly distributed.
  • You can cook these Chicken Meatballs on the stovetop, in the oven or in the crockpot (details below).
  • If baking the meatballs, don’t over bake them. Take them out of the oven when they are cooked through and the tops are browned.
  • Store cooked and cooled Chicken Meatballs in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
  • Pour the cranberry sauce in the crockpot. Add browned meatballs and stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 198mg | Sodium: 728mg | Potassium: 1021mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Arpita Patel says

    5 stars
    This recipe is by far the easiest and best tasting meatballs! Made these for my sons lunch and ended up eating half of what I made as soon as they came out of the oven. This will definitely be a keeper in my house. Thanks for sharing your recipe

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