Dairy Free Chicken Meatballs

These baked dairy free chicken meatballs are a fantastic addition to any meal! Perfectly juicy and jam-packed with flavor, they’re incredibly easy to make and come together in a snap. And you’ll never believe there’s no cheese, milk or breadcrumbs involved. Egg free, gluten free and ideal for meal prep.

A platter with Dairy Free Chicken Meatballs and dipping sauce.

Looking for a simple anytime kind of dish?

Then these baked dairy free chicken meatballs are for you!

Made with ground chicken and a few flavorful pantry staples, they’re delicious enough to enjoy plain or added to your favorite meal. 

And they’re fantastic for the entire family – my kiddo gobbles these right up along with the adults. 

But the best part? They’re incredibly easy to pull together. 

Just grab a bowl and a baking sheet and you’ll be well on your way to a simple feel-good kind of dinner.

Meatball ingredients in small bowls.

How To Make Dairy Free Chicken Meatballs

So, let’s chat about how these easy meatballs go down:

Mix everything together. First up, we’ll combine some ground chicken, oat flour, grated onion, olive oil and plenty of seasonings in a large bowl.

Form into balls. Next, we’ll gently shape the mixture into balls and place on a lined baking sheet.

Bake until cooked through. Finally, we’ll pop the meatballs in the oven for about 15 minutes, until tender, juicy and delicious.

Raw meatball ingredients mixed together in a bowl and then in balls on a baking sheet.

Tips & Tricks

  1. First things first. Do NOT overwork your meat – both when mixing everything together and when rolling into balls. This is essential for keeping the meatballs nice and tender.
  2. Please be sure to use the grated onion. It’s important for both flavor and texture – i.e. it adds moisture to the final product.
  3. Don’t have oat flour on hand? No problem. Add some rolled oats to a food processor or high powered blender and process until finely ground / the texture of flour. 
  4. A cookie scoop makes the process of forming the meat into balls super easy. They’ll all be the same size and you won’t have to work the meat as much (see tip number 1).
  5. Finally, an instant read thermometer is your best friend. Cooking to temperature ensures that you won’t overcook the meatballs (i.e. making them dry and tough).

No Cheese Chicken Meatballs on a platter with marinara sauce.

How To Serve

Need some ideas for how to put these meatballs to good use?

  • Go classic with pasta and your favorite sauce.
  • Add to a meal bowl with grains and roasted veggies.
  • Pair with a big green salad and crusty bread.
  • Layer on a sandwich with sauce and dairy free cheese for a meatball sub.
  • Spoon over mashed potatoes.
  • Serve as an appetizer with a dipping sauce of choice.

How To Store

Fridge: Allow the meatballs to cool completely then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Let the meatballs cool completely then place in a freezer safe baggie or container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then gently rewarm in the oven or microwave.

A bowl with spaghetti and Gluten Free Dairy Free Chicken Meatballs.

Additional Dairy Free Dinners You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

A platter with Dairy Free Chicken Meatballs and dipping sauce.

Dairy Free Chicken Meatballs

Yield: about 32 to 34 meatballs
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

These baked dairy free chicken meatballs are a fantastic addition to any meal! Perfectly juicy and jam-packed with flavor, they’re incredibly easy to make and come together in a snap. And you’ll never believe there’s no cheese, milk or breadcrumbs involved.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds lean ground chicken
  • ¼ cup oat flour (certified gluten free if needed)
  • ¼ cup grated yellow onion 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons worcestershire sauce*
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt 
  • ½ teaspoon pepper 
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to gently mix everything together, being careful not to overwork the meat
  3. Form the mixture into balls about 1 ½ inches in size, then place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
  4. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through (the internal temperature should register 165ºF on an instant read thermometer - I recommend checking at the 12 minute mark to ensure you don’t overcook).
  5. If desired, transfer the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the fat / liquid that was released during cooking.
  6. Serve however you like.

Notes

*To keep these gluten free - be sure to check the ingredients on your worcestershire sauce. Some brands contain wheat.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 495mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 27g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.