These juicy baked apple chicken meatballs feature shredded fennel for an added veggie and lots of flavor! Enjoy some veggie-loaded balls over pasta, in a sandwich, or as an appetizer, or serve them to babies and toddlers. They’re a healthy way to add more vegetables and fruits to your family’s meals and can be shaped into mini or bigger meatballs!
As you know, I’m all about adding in those veggies whenever possible! Here, I combined shredded fennel and apple with ground chicken to make a juicy, flavorful meatball.
If you aren’t familiar with fennel, it has a slight licorice taste, but don’t let that scare you off! The taste is subtle, and adding something sweet, like apples, complements the flavor and creates a delicious profile. (Check out my Fennel Apple Salad for more proof!) These apple chicken meatballs also have parsley, onion, and some fresh ginger. I wasn’t lying when I said they’re flavorful!
Not only will the adults in your life love this recipe, but it’s also a great option for kids. Meatballs are suitable for toddlers and babies, as long as they are served in the appropriate shape and size for their feeding ability. That’s why I love to bulk them up with healthful add-ins to offer an option for exposing little ones to more vegetables and flavors. I’d love to hear how you enjoy this recipe, so be sure to let me know in the comments!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground chicken: You can substitute ground turkey for this recipe.
- Fennel: You’ll need about 1 small fennel bulb, which comes out to about 1 cup grated.
- Apple: I prefer to use a Granny Smith apple to add a tart yet sweet flavor to apple chicken meatballs, but you can use any kind you have on hand.
- Onion: Use yellow, sweet, or red onion.
- Parsley: If you don’t have fresh parsley, substitute about a tablespoon of dried parsley or other herbs like thyme, dill, or basil.
- Ginger: I love how fresh ginger tastes in this recipe! If you don’t have fresh, substitute dried (about ½ teaspoon) or just omit it.
- Breadcrumbs: I used plain Panko breadcrumbs, but you can use any kind. If they are pre-seasoned, consider leaving out the other seasonings in the recipe.
- Egg: To make egg-free, substitute a “flax egg” made by mixing together 1 tablespoon of milled flaxseeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water. Let it thicken for about 10 minutes before adding to the meatball mixture.
Equipment
You can use any hand or box grater (coarse or medium) to grate the apple and fennel for this recipe. I love to use the julienne slicer of my Oxo Grate and Slice Set. It yields thin strips of apple and fennel that blend seamlessly into the ground chicken.
Instructions
The full recipe card for apple chicken meatballs with fennel is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.
Grate the apple and fennel.
Chop the parsley and onion, and grate or finely chop the ginger.
Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Use your hands or a large silicone fork to mix everything together.
Use slightly wet hands to roll the meatballs in 2-inch balls or smaller if you want to make mini meatballs. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake in the oven until cooked through, about 17 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees F/204 degrees C.
Storage and Reheating
Keep apple chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days. Reheat in the microwave, in a skillet, in a pot of sauce, or even in the oven at 350 degrees F/177 degrees C for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through.
These meatballs also freeze beautifully. For best results, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap or wax or parchment paper. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag, seal tightly, label, and store for up to 6 months. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap in servings of 3 or 4 if you want to freeze full servings instead of individual balls.
To thaw, remove any wrapping and microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or directly from frozen by simmering in a covered pot of your favorite sauce over medium-low heat.
Serving
Enjoy your apple chicken meatballs over pasta, as an appetizer with a sauce for dunking, in a sandwich, or in any other recipe that calls for meatballs. They taste delicious with tomato, pesto, butter-based sauces, or even olive oil and garlic. Try them with the Sage Brown Butter Kohlrabi Noodles with Pine Nuts, Lemon Rapini Pasta, Balsamic Caramelized Shallot Pasta, or Garlic Lemon Creamy Kale Pasta.
If you’re serving meatballs to babies, toddler, or young kids, be sure to prepare them in the shape and size appropriate for your child’s feeding abilities. For young babies, it’s typically recommended to serve an entire meatball that’s at least 2 inches in diameter. After kids develop their pincer grasp, serve in bite-sized pieces. Always refer to your pediatrician for guidance on how to safely serve solids to children.
Similar Recipes
Love veggie-loaded chicken recipes? Check out these dishes while you’re here:
📖 Recipe
Apple Chicken Meatballs with Fennel
Ingredients
- 1 small Granny Smith apple - peeled and grated, about 1 cup
- 1 small bulb fennel - cored then grated or finely chopped, about 1 heaping cup
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg - beaten
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Lightly grease a baking sheet with oil or line with parchment paper.
- Prepare the ingredients. You can use any hand or box grater (medium or coarse) to grate the apple and fennel. If you have a julienne grater, that's even better. If you don't have any graters, chop the apple and fennel into fine pieces. For the ginger, use a fine grater or zester or dice into small pieces.
- Make the meatballs. Add the grated apple and fennel, diced onion, chopped parsley, and grated ginger to a mixing bowl, along with the ground chicken, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until it's all well-combined.
- Roll the meatballs. Use slightly wet hands to scoop out a heaping tablespoon from the bowl and roll into a ball about 2-inches wide. Repeat until you have about 18 to 20 meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet, equally spaced. Roll smaller meatballs if you want to serve them as a mini meatball appetizer.
- Bake the meatballs. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the meatballs are baked through and a thermometer inserted in the center of one reads 165 degrees F/74 degrees C.
- Enjoy. Serve warm over your favorite pasta, with a dipping sauce, as an appetizer, or in any other way you enjoy meatballs!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Storage and Reheating: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days. Reheat in the microwave, a skillet with a little oil, a pot of sauce, or even in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes until warmed through.
- Freezing: To freeze, let the meatballs cool completely. Wrap each one (or servings of 3 or 4) in plastic wrap or wax or parchment paper. Transfer to a freezer bag, seal tightly, label, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. To thaw, remove all packaging and microwave in 20-second increments until warmed through. You can also thaw them directly from frozen in a covered pot with sauce over medium-low. Simmer until warm.
- Serving to babies and toddlers: Omit the salt if you are making these for young babies. Be sure to serve them in age-appropriate sizes/shapes for your child. Typically, young babies who do not have the pincer grasp may be safest with a full meatball that’s at least 2 inches wide. Older babies with a pincer grasp should be served tiny, bite-sized pieces.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March 2018. It was updated with a new recipe and photos in February 2023.
Sona
can you cook these in pan instead of in oven?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Sona, yes you can. I’d recommend cooking in a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear on both sides until lightly browned then lower heat slightly and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, flipping halfway through, until cooked through. Alternatively, you can sear them on both sides for a couple minutes then add a sauce to the skillet, or transfer the meatballs to a saucepan with sauce, and simmer until they are cooked through for about 10 to 15 minutes.