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Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs

Garlic butter chicken meatballs with juicy, tender ground chicken are pan-cooked until browned, then simmered in a quick garlic-butter sauce. Finish with lemon, Parmesan, and parsley for a glossy coating that’s ready in about 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
  • 0.5 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 0.33 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Butter Sauce
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Make the chicken meatballs
  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, Italian breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Mix gently until just combined so the meatballs stay tender.
  3. Shape the mixture into 18–20 meatballs, keeping the size even for consistent cooking.
Cook and brown the meatballs
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Cook the meatballs for 8–10 minutes, turning often, until browned and cooked through.
  3. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
Simmer the garlic butter sauce
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet.
  2. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring to prevent browning.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and stir well to loosen the browned bits.
  4. Add the lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes (optional), then simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Coat and finish
  1. Return the meatballs to the skillet.
  2. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the meatballs for 2 minutes to coat.
  3. Sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh parsley, then serve immediately over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or roasted vegetables.

Notes

For best browning, keep the meatballs similar in size and avoid overmixing—gently combine just until the ingredients come together. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended due to the tender chicken texture. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-salt Parmesan and substitute low-sodium chicken broth.