Apple Chicken Meatballs with Fennel

12 apple chicken meatballs on a serving plate with parsley.

These juicy meatballs are an easy way to add more vegetables and fruit to your meals. Shredded apples and fennel add moisture and flavor, while parsley and ginger round out the recipe. They're great for babies, toddler, and adults alike!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings meatballs

Calories 51kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

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

US Customary - Metric

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!
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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