These Mini Chicken + Carrot Meatballs are a perfect first finger food for baby, but don’t be surprised when the rest of the family starts popping them in their mouths as well! Filled with ground chicken, carrots, spinach and applesauce – these mini meatballs are a healthy (and completely addicting) food for baby and the entire family! 

The first time I made these mini meatballs was when baby Parker was first starting on finger foods. Small and moist, these mini meatballs are a perfect food for baby to pick up and attempt to eat on their own.

But then the rest of us had to try them…

and we ended up polishing the rest of the meatballs off!  <—— so rude of us, I know!!

So, I had to make more and quick! These balls are that addicting!

The very next morning, I braved the store with both girls and got the only two ingredients I needed to make these meatballs again –  ground chicken and a bottle of wine. Well, you know the wine isn’t needed but it is always a good idea to have some on hand!

We had them again for dinner that night (adding some feta, which isn’t in the recipe, but totally gets a big YES in our books) and I served them over some basil pesto pasta with a side salad (for the adults) and a berry finger salad for the kiddos!

All of our plates were scraped clean! Yummmmmmmm!!!

But my addiction didn’t stopped there, I have made these meatballs into a sandwich filled with even more spinach, garlic-chive aioli and a ton of feta cheese pilled onto a ciabatta bun, used as the filling for lettuce wraps, and of course I have made them into patties and grilled them for some finger licking good chicken burgers (made with even more feta pilled on top as well as wayyyyyy too many slices of avocado).

A baby meal turned into a family meal! Score!!

The best part of this recipe is that it is totally adjustable to what you have on hand. Keeping the base ingredients you can switch out the carrots and spinach for anything you have on hand. Just make sure it is finely chopped.

Here are a few ideas for you – 

  • spinach + leeks
  • broccoli + asparagus
  • red peppers + strawberries (make sure to press the juices out of the strawberries in-between paper towels)
  • fennel + kale
  • feta + feta 🙂
  • golden beets + apple
  • pear + chard

Get the recipe: Mini Chicken + Carrot Meatballs

5 stars (87 ratings)
These Mini Chicken + Carrot Meatballs are a perfect first finger food for baby, but don't be surprised when the rest of the family starts popping them in their mouths as well!

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb ground chicken or turkey
  • 1/4 cup applesauce or apple puree
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped spinach
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, silicone mat or tin foil.
  • In a large bowl, place all of the ingredients. Gently fold together with your hands or spatula until everything is well incorporated. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Roll meat mixture into 1″ balls. I find it helps to wet your hands throughout the process.
  • Place the meatballs onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and gently browned.

Notes

Age: 8 Months and up
Yield: 24-30 meatballs depending on size
Storage: you can store these meatballs in an airtight contatiner in the fridege for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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