These easy-to-make Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs bring together tender chicken, garlic, herbs and zesty fresh lemon. They’re seriously delicious, with so much flavour! They’re toddler-approved too, and the perfect kid-friendly finger-food. So whether it’s a family dinner or a casual get-together, these straightforward yet delicious meatballs are sure to hit the spot!
Meatballs for toddlers
Homemade meatballs are the perfect finger-food meal for toddlers, and they can actually be served to babies from 6 months old if prepared properly. Making your own is a great way to control the size, sodium levels and texture of the meatballs. They’re easy for toddlers to eat, as you can shape or chop them to the appropriate size. I either have to make extra-large meatballs or chop them once cooked for Baby LJ, as he persistently tries to fit whole meatballs in his mouth only to then not be able to chew 😆. He loves them!
Meatballs can be a choking hazard [1] for babies and toddlers because of this whole-meatball-in-mouth issue, and so serving larger meatballs is best. If serving to young children, make at least 2 inch/ 5cm diameter balls to reduce the risk. Using an ice cream or cookie scoop to size them out is really handy! It’s also important that you serve tender meatballs, to further reduce the risk of choking. These Greek chicken meatballs tick all the boxes for toddlers!
Ingredients in this chicken meatball recipe
Here’s what you need to make these zesty chicken meatballs:
Chicken – For this fast recipe, I use chicken mince/ground chicken. If you have a Thermomix or high-powered food processor, you could mince your own using chicken breasts or thigh. You can also substitute the chicken with ground turkey.
Lemon – Lemon zest and juice are used in this recipe, to make these meatballs deliciously moist and citrusy. Fresh lemon is a must!
Garlic and onion – I use brown/yellow onion, but you can substitute with white or red. If substituting fresh garlic cloves for minced garlic, then use 1 to 2 teaspoons depending on your love of it. In a pinch, you can also substitute with garlic powder and onion powder.
Thyme and oregano – This recipe uses dried herbs to keep it quick and easy, but if you can use fresh then do it! Substitute 1 teaspoon of dried herb with 1 tablespoon of fresh.
Salt and white pepper – White pepper is milder than black pepper. Leave out the salt if serving to family under 12 months [2] of age.
Bread – One slice of day-old bread with the crusts removed adds lightness to this recipe. White or wholemeal will work best.
Egg – For binding the meatballs.
How to make Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs
Thermomixer? This is a super fast recipe to prepare, which is why meatballs are a favourite on my weeknight dinner rotation! In your machine, finely chop the garlic and lemon zest. Add the onion, bread, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper and blitz. Add the chicken and egg, and pulse until just combined. Lastly, roll the chicken meat mixture into balls and bake in the oven.
Conventional cook? You can either use a food processor or finely chop all ingredients by hand. Be sure to finely chop or grate the onion in particular – this helps to moisten the meatballs. Combine all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, roll the chicken meat mixture into balls and bake in the oven.
Everyone! Top tip! Roll the meatballs using wet hands. It stops the mixture from just getting stuck to you 😁. In terms of cooking, I love the simplicity of baking meatballs, but you can also pan fry rather than oven bake these tender ground chicken meatballs. Simply heat a little bit of olive oil in a large skillet or frypan over medium heat to medium-high heat and pan fry the meatballs in a single layer until golden brown.
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both thermo cooker and conventional cooking methods.
Adapting this recipe for babies and toddlers
For baby-friendly Chicken, Garlic, and Lemon Meatballs, omit the salt. Cook until well-done. You can then either chop to a suitable size, or mash or puree for a tasty introduction to solids. Just remember that some of the ingredients are allergens, so follow paediatric health advice on introducing allergens to baby. And remember to go large! Make at least 2 inch/ 5cm diameter meatballs to reduce choking risk. When prepared properly, these meatballs are fantastic toddler food, as are Lamb and Mint Meatballs or Vietnamese-Style Pork Meatballs. Give them a go next time!
Serving and storing these chicken meatballs
Serve these Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs hot as appetizers or finger food, or with your favourite side salad/vegetable sides for an easy weeknight meal.
Store any cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freezer for up to 3 months. Then, simply reheat in the oven or have them cold. Easy and delicious!
This is also a great recipe to meal prep for busy weeknights – you can freeze uncooked meatballs for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
If you make these Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing how my recipes work for you and your family! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more delicious recipes.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs
Category: Family MainsTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 5 g / 2-3 strips lemon zest
- 75 g / 1/2 brown/yellow onion peeled and halved
- 1 slice bread crusts removed and quartered (Note 1)
- 10 g / 2/3 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt for family over 12 months
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 500 g chicken mince/ground chicken
- 1 egg
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Line a baking tray/baking sheet with grease proof paper.
- Put garlic and lemon zest into the mixing bowl. Chop 10 seconds, speed 6, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl. If any large pieces of zest remain, repeat.
- Add onion, bread, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper into the mixing bowl, and chop 5 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl. If large pieces of ingredients remain, chop 2 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl
- Add chicken mince and egg. Using Turbo mode, pulse 2 to 3 times until the meatball mixture combines.
- Transfer to a bowl. Form meatballs and place on baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Conventional Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Line a baking tray/baking sheet with grease proof paper.
- In a food processor or by hand, finely chop and mix together the lemon zest, garlic, onion, bread, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken mince and egg, and mix until combined.
- Transfer to a large bowl. Form meatballs and place on baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
One Response
Your recipes are wonderful. So quick and easy to make. Very nutritious and healthy for all the family but particularly for baby who is introduced to a variety of foods at an early age. Healthy and Tasty.