Description
Michael Symon’s chicken meatballs deliver Mediterranean magic with zesty herbs and garlic-kissed flavors. Perfectly seasoned and tender, these meatballs will make weeknight dinners feel like a delicious culinary adventure you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 pounds ground chicken
Binding and Moisture Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Flavoring and Seasoning:
- 1 cup (1 ½ ounces) freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly combine Japanese-style breadcrumbs (Panko) with whole milk, allowing the mixture to hydrate and soften for 7-8 minutes.
- Transfer ground chicken into a large mixing bowl, creating a foundation for the meatballs.
- Crack fresh eggs directly into the ground chicken, then incorporate minced garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Gently fold the milk-soaked breadcrumb mixture into the seasoned ground chicken, using a light hand to prevent dense meatballs.
- Lightly coat hands with extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking, then carefully form uniform meatballs using a medium cookie scoop, portioning approximately 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) per ball.
- Arrange meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, maintaining slight separation between each piece.
- Delicately mist the meatballs with olive oil spray and sprinkle additional black pepper for enhanced flavor.
- Position the baking sheet on the top oven rack and roast for 14-16 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when tested with a meat thermometer.
Notes
- Crafting uniform meatballs guarantees each bite cooks perfectly and looks professionally prepared.
- Oil-coated hands transform messy meat mixture handling into a seamless, clean rolling experience.
- Light-handed mixing preserves meat’s delicate texture, preventing dense and tough meatball outcomes.
- Chilled ingredients help bind mixture better, ensuring firmer meatballs that hold their shape during cooking.
- Room temperature meat blends more easily, creating smoother and more consistent meatball texture.
- Breadcrumbs act as crucial binding agents, absorbing moisture and helping ingredients stick together.
- Fresh herbs elevate flavor profiles, adding brightness and complexity to standard meatball recipes.
- Grated cheese introduces subtle saltiness and depth, complementing primary meat flavors.
- Avoid compressing meat too tightly while forming balls, which can result in tough, compact results.
- Letting meatballs rest briefly before cooking allows ingredients to settle and flavors to meld.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 640 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 525 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 56 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg