Description
Juicy chicken meatballs baked until tender, then coated in rich butter chicken sauce for an easy, cozy dinner. This simple recipe works with either store-bought or homemade sauce and is perfect served with rice and naan for a comforting weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp milk
For the Sauce
- 2 cups butter chicken sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Optional for Serving
- Cooked basmati rice
- Naan bread
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, garam masala, paprika, and milk. Mix until just combined.
- Roll the mixture into meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Heat the butter chicken sauce using one of the methods below:
Stovetop Method
- Warm the butter chicken sauce in a large skillet or pot over medium-low heat.
- Add the cooked meatballs and gently toss to coat in the sauce.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes until everything is hot and well combined.
Oven Method
- Transfer the cooked meatballs to a casserole dish or oven-safe skillet.
- Pour the butter chicken sauce over the meatballs and gently coat them in the sauce.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and bubbling.
- Serve over rice with naan and garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
Store-bought butter chicken sauce keeps this recipe quick and easy for busy weeknights, but you can also use my homemade Butter Chicken recipe sauce if you prefer making it from scratch.
Avoid overmixing the meatball mixture to help keep the meatballs tender.
The oven method works especially well if you’re making the meatballs ahead of time and want to keep them warm before serving.
These meatballs pair well with basmati rice, naan, or roasted vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-Inspired