Baked chicken meatballs made caprese style with fire roasted diced tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella cheese and basil.
I've mentioned previously that we tend to eat a lot of chicken; whether it's whole roasted, boneless, thighs or even ground. I like to mix it up a bit so dinner doesn't become monotonous.
Recently, I had taken out ground chicken to make chili, but since I haven't been doing the food shopping we didn't have any beans. And yes, I've been getting back in the kitchen little by little. It feels great to cook again!
In fact, I'm in two sneakers, only need one crutch if walking outside to steady myself AND I got permission to drive! I know, it's the little things. But after 13 weeks of being tied to the house, I'm looking forward to start spreading my wings. 😁
Since I didn't have all of the ingredients I needed, I decided to use up the fresh Mozzarella we had in the fridge from Father's day before it went bad and made these Baked Caprese Chicken Meatballs.
What does Caprese mean?
The name "caprese" is derived from Italy and means a combination of tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil.
I have so many recipes this style that I'll have to write a separate post just to share them all, but my favorites are Caprese Stacks with Pan Seared Prosciutto, Caprese Flatbread and the classic Caprese Salad.
When describing recipes, it's just easier to say caprese instead of every ingredient it encompasses. The flavors are simple and so distinct; it's my absolute favorite flavor combination!
How do you make Baked Caprese Chicken Meatballs?
For this recipe you'll need ground chicken, an egg, Italian breadcrumbs, garlic, fresh Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil. I prefer all white meat ground chicken in my recipes.
Since I had an open can of fire roasted diced tomatoes I used those, but fresh chopped tomatoes would work well too.
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well until combined. Next, form 18 meatballs by rolling them into balls; then place on a greased baking sheet.
Place the pan in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 18-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
Can you make these Meatballs gluten free?
Absolutely! Just use gluten free breadcrumbs instead.
How do you make as an appetizer?
To make these meatballs as an appetizer, roll the meatballs smaller before baking. You can probably get 3 dozen out of one pound of ground chicken.
Bake 10-12 minutes (depending on the size) or until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink.
Finally, place the meatballs on a serving platter with some marinara sauce and toothpicks for a fun, healthy snack. The kids will LOVE them!
Serving Suggestions
These Baked Caprese Chicken Meatballs were deliciously flavorful and healthy too! We served these meatballs with a side of Linguine Positano and a tossed salad for a main entree. ~Enjoy!
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Try these recipes too!
- Cheddar Ranch Meatballs
- Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs
- Cheesy Italian Sausage Meatballs
- Spicy Lamb Meatballs
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Baked Caprese Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (I used all white meat)
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces small diced fresh mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup diced fire roasted tomatoes (or chopped fresh)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well until combined.
- Next, form 18 meatballs by rolling them into balls; then place on a greased baking sheet.
- Place the pan in the oven for 18-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
Notes
- Prepare as directed above; then roll the meatballs smaller before baking. (You can probably get 3 dozen out of one pound of ground chicken).
- Bake 10-12 minutes (depending on the size) or until the meat is cooked through.
- Finally, place the meatballs on a serving platter with some marinara sauce and toothpicks before serving.
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