These are hands down the best Keto Chicken Meatballs – I would even argue they are THE best chicken meatballs, low-carb or not. This easy recipe is made with ground chicken, shredded zucchini, and simple seasonings, and they are caramelized in a skillet. Eat them plain, or toss them in a sugar free marinara sauce!
3 grams Net Carbs per Serving
Serve these delicious meatballs over Spaghetti Squash, Zucchini Noodles or Cauliflower Rice for a delicious and healthy low carb meal!
Low Carb Chicken Meatballs with Zucchini
Once you try this recipe, you’ll be a convert! If you’ve made ground chicken meatballs with breadcrumbs and egg in the past, you know that the right balance of moisture and keeping a good texture is a challenge.
This recipe uses shredded zucchini to keep them moist. Using fresh onion and garlic, some seasonings, and some parmesan cheese, these meatballs are easy to to mix up, and have so much incredible flavor.
Skip the pork rinds, which are highly processed and most often cooked in seed oils. Keto breadcrumbs are similarly highly processed and expensive. I use parmesan cheese and almond flour to add to the texture of these!
I highly recommend sautéing these in a skillet with olive oil or avocado oil. The caramelized exteriors add to the perfection!
It’s hard not to eat these directly out of the skillet. They are perfect meal prepped for high protein snacks (that you actually WANT to eat!).
Make an Italian style meal by serving these over zoodles with some sugar free marinara sauce.
Even if your family does not follow a keto diet, they will love these! I love simple recipes like these that are easy to serve differently based on everyone’s carb needs. Try serving these over gluten free pasta or rice for some family members!
What You’ll Need
- Ground Chicken (these would be equally as good made with ground turkey)
- Zucchini (this is the perfect low carb sub for breadcrumbs)
- Onion (finely minced, so there’s no need to cook this prior to adding it to the meat mixture)
- Garlic
- Parmesan Cheese (keep these dairy free by omitting)
- Almond Flour (keep these nut free by omitting)
- Italian Seasoning (I used dried seasoning for ease! Use fresh herbs if you have them on hand).
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Olive Oil or Avocado Oil for sauteing
How to Make Keto Chicken Meatballs
Step 1: Into a large mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, zucchini, parmesan cheese, almond flour, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a bowl. Use a food processor, if desired.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients together until evenly incorporated.
Step 3: Scoop the chicken mixture about 2 tablespoons at a time, rolling it between two hands into a ball.
Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add meatballs, leaving space around each one so they brown and caramelize instead of steam. Depending on the size of the skillet, it might take 2-3 batches to finish cooking all meatballs. Cook to an internal temperature of 165º F (or until you break one open and they are fully cooked!). Once they are cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.
Step 5: If desired, add back to skillet with a keto marinara sauce, and heat the meatballs and sauce together.
Step 6: Serve keto chicken meatballs over zoodles, spaghetti squash, or kojac pasta. Garnish with extra parmesan, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes, if desired!
How to Bake Keto Chicken Meatballs
Preheat oven to 450º F.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and add chicken meatballs, allowing for space between each one.
Bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165º F and have a browned exterior.
Variations and How to Serve Meatballs
This keto chicken meatballs recipe is customizable! Build your perfect dinner:
Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs: Skip the Italian seasoning and marinara, and sauté these with hot buffalo sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot) and a little butter. Add blue cheese crumbles to the top for the most authentic flavor!
Alfredo with Chicken Meatballs: Make an easy Keto Alfredo Sauce, and serve over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
Over Konjac Noodles: Also called shirataki noodles or miracle noodles, this pasta replacement is made from a root that is high in prebiotic fiber. These have no carbs, low calories, and help with gut health. They are the perfect option for the ketogenic diet!
Over Zucchini Noodles: Zoodles are a delicious way to add more veggies to your meal, and have the fun appeal of eating pasta.
With Spaghetti Squash: In the winter hot spaghetti squash is a comforting low-carb swap for pasta!
On Cauliflower Rice: Serve these delicious keto chicken meatballs over cauliflower rice. Sautéed onions and peppers are a great addition to this dish!
Make this higher in carbs: If you have family members with higher carb needs, give them the option of serving this on gluten free pasta, steamed rice, or quinoa.
How to Store Leftovers
After meatballs have fulled cooled, store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They are delicious cold as a snack, or on top of a salad.
Reheat meatballs in a skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until hot throughout.
Can I freeze Keto Chicken Meatballs?
Yes, these meatballs are the perfect meal prep option. After meatballs have fully cooled, store in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag, and freeze up to 3 months. Allow to partially thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Other Keto Dinner Recipes
Try this recipe? Be sure to share your cooking with me on Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram, and tag @BlissfullyLowCarb !
Keto Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 cup zucchini shredded
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup almond flour omit for nut free
- 1/4 cup onion finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, zucchini, parmesan cheese, almond flour, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a bowl. Use a food processor, if desired.
- Mix the ingredients together until evenly incorporated.
- Scoop the chicken mixture about 2 tablespoons at a time, rolling it between two hands into a ball.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add meatballs, leaving space around each one so they brown and caramelize instead of steam. Depending on the size of the skillet, it might take 2-3 batches to finish cooking all meatballs. Cook to an internal temperature of 165º F (or until you break one open and they are fully cooked!). Once they are cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.
- If desired, add back to skillet with a keto marinara sauce, and heat the meatballs and sauce together.
- Serve keto chicken meatballs over zoodles, spaghetti squash, or kojac pasta. Garnish with extra parmesan, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes, if desired!
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