Festive flavors and the perfect tangy, sweet, and savory bite come together with these easy Springer Mountain Chicken Meatballs with Orange Marmalade. Combining protein-packed ground chicken with an easy sauce everyone will love, these are the appetizers you need for the holiday season.
Whether you’re looking for the perfect appetizer to serve up at your holiday party or even a fun addition to your game-day eats, these glossy chicken meatballs are it. Ground chicken is a beautiful canvas for flavors, like orange chicken meatballs. The lean meat cooks quickly and creates a tender, juicy bite.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make Ahead - These tender and tangy baked chicken meatballs not only can be prepped a day or two in advance, but they also freeze beautifully. They’re not just great for parties but also a tasty addition to meal prep.
- Minimal Ingredients - There’s nothing complicated about the clean ingredients in this recipe. Aside from the ground chicken you just need a handful of pantry basics like gluten-free panko and olive oil. In addition, the sauce only requires three simple ingredients.
- Customizable - While the cranberry orange barbecue sauce pairs perfectly with these meatballs, you can use any of your favorite sauces with them. The combination of sage and orange in the meatballs pairs well with many flavors.
Ingredients
- Springer Mountain Farms Ground Chicken - This American Humane Certified ground chicken is low in fat and calories and high in protein. It is free of hormones and antibiotics. Because it is lean it cooks up quickly.
- Orange Olive Oil - This adds a rich, bright, citrus note to both the meatballs themselves and the sauce.
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Garlic - You don’t need a lot to add a savory bite to these meatballs.
- Sage - Woodsy and aromatic sage pairs well with all poultry.
- Gluten-Free Panko Breadcrumbs - This not only binds the meatballs together but also keeps them tender.
- Egg
- Cranberry Sauce - Adds a tangy element to the sauce and makes these extra festive.
- Honey Barbecue Sauce - Balances the tang of the cranberry sauce while adding a savory element.
How to Make Orange Cranberry Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400 ℉.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Next, add all of the ingredients to a bowl for the meatballs. Mix them until they’re just combined.
- Use your hands or a small meatball roller to form 1” meatballs. Line them up on the prepared baking sheet ¼”-½” apart.
- Allow the meatballs to bake for ten minutes or until 165 degrees internal.
- Next, make your sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a pan over medium heat. Allow the sauce to come to a boil.
- Place the meatballs into a single layer in the pan and cover it with a lid. Turn the heat to low. Let them simmer for ten minutes, tossing in the sauce occasionally.
- Finally, remove the lid and allow them to simmer until the sauce thickens. You can serve them straight from the pan or with appetizer picks.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Meatball roller
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pan with lid
- Appetizer picks
Variations
- Make these a little spicy by adding crushed red pepper or diced jalapenos to the sauce or meatballs.
- Switch up the type of barbecue sauce. A mustard-based sauce or spicy barbecue sauce would be delicious.
- Use your leftover cranberry sauce from the holidays.
- Turn these chicken meatballs into an entree and use them to top off rice.
- Make sliders out of these meatballs.
Storage
- Once the meatballs have been baked they can be stored unsauced in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
- After the meatballs have been sauced, keep them stored in the refrigerator. They’ll last 3-4 days.
- You can freeze these meatballs. Allow them to cool completely after baking. Transfer them to freezer-safe bags. They will last up to three months in the freezer.
- To reheat these meatballs add them to the orange cranberry sauce or your favorite sauce. Cook them on low heat until heated through.
Top Tips
- Don’t over-mix the meat. This will keep them tender.
- Try to keep the meatballs a fairly uniform size. This will allow them to cook evenly. That’s why the meatball roller is such a great tool.
FAQ
Can I make these meatballs with regular panko breadcrumbs?
Yes, you can use non-gluten-free breadcrumbs. The measurements will be the same.
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📖 Recipe
Mountain Chicken Meatballs with Orange Marmalade
Equipment
- Meatball roller I use the small one
- pan with lid
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound Springer Mountain Farms ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon sage
- 1 tablespoon orange olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic
- ⅓ cup panko
- 1 egg
Sauce
- 7 oz cranberry sauce
- 8 oz honey bbq sauce
- 1 teaspoon orange olive oil
Instructions
Chicken
- Preheat oven to 400 ℉.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well with your hands. I like to use rubber gloves.
- Once fully combined either using your hands or a small meatball roller, roll the mixture into 1 inch balls.
- Place the meatballs on the prepared sheet with ¼-1/2 an inch between them.
- Bake on 400 ℉ for 10 minutes.
- Either use right away in the sauce, or store in an airtight container overnight in the fridge. These may also be frozen for up to 3 months in the freezer to be used at a later time. If using frozen meatballs, allow them to cook in the sauce for 20-24 minutes.
Sauce
- Place all sauce ingredients into a pan on medium and stir well.
- Once sauce begins to boil, add meatballs in a single layer and add the lid.
- Reduce heat to low. Let them simmer for 10 minutes, tossing a few times in the sauce every few minutes.
- Remove the lid and allow them to simmer while the sauce thickens. Serve as is, or place onto appetizer picks! These meatballs are also great without the sauce!
Notes
- Don’t over-mix the meat. This will keep them tender.
- Try to keep the meatballs a fairly uniform size. This will allow them to cook evenly. That’s why the meatball roller is such a great tool.
Anonymous says
Meatballs are always a hit. Perfect as an appetizer. Great for stuffing into subs. Love the sauce on these too.
Gloria says
Meatballs are always a hit. Great as an appetizer. Perfect for stuffing into subs too.
Amy Liu Dong says
Oh my, this chicken meatballs looks incredibly delicious! Everything looks perfect and it's very enticing. Totally love this!
Anonymous says
Each bite is so flavorful! Love this recipe!
Anonymous says
These chicken meatballs with orange marmalade are my go-to for holiday appetizers. The flavor combination is delightful, and they’re quick to make, ensuring a tender and juicy bite every time.
Juyali says
Adding citrus to savory dishes is one of my favorite things to do. I mean, I like citrus on everything, really! 😉 But these meatballs were particularly good. The combination of cranberry, BBQ, and that amazing orange oil was just the perfect mix of flavors. Amazing and delicious!!