These 5-Star Baked Chicken Meatballs are a perfect first finger food for your 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 meatballs are a healthy (and completely addictive) food for babies, toddlers, kids, and the entire family! 

Metal baking tray on my counter, with a hand dipping a meatball into a yellow dip.
5 stars (90 ratings)
“I have already made these meatballs a handful of times and they always come out so moist and tasty. My little loves them and they are so easy to add to a pasta or in a quesadilla, the possibilities are endless. ” -Stephanie
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Chicken Meatballs for Baby

One meal. All ages. Zero complaints.

Enter: these juicy chicken meatballs with hidden veggies.

I made the first batch when my daughter was 8 months old and just starting to explore real food. The OG version was just ground chicken and breadcrumbs—super basic. But then I started playing around…

A handful of spinach here. Some shredded carrot there. A scoop of applesauce to lock in moisture.

Boom. We had a winner.

Fast-forward 10 years, and I’ve made this recipe hundreds of times. They show up on pasta, in lunchboxes, inside pita sandwiches, or straight up with some fruit and cukes on the side. The baby loves them. The big kids love them. And yep—I do too.

Ground Chicken Meatballs Video

White kitchen counter with ingredients for chicken meatballs with graphics labeling each one - ground chicken, carrots, spinach, panko breadcrumb, eggs, applesauce, etc.

#momhack – I like to make a double batch so you can eat some and then freeze some for later. I like to bake mine before placing them into a zip-lock baggie and freezing them until needed. I then simply pop them into the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until they are warm all the way through.

Let’s Get Baking

Glass bowl sitting on my white marble counterop, with ingredients for chicken meatballs inside.
All ingredients go into a bowl.
Glass bowl sitting on my white kitchen counter. In the bowl is a mixed ground chicken meatball ingredients.
Mix with your hands or a spoon (you do you!) until well incorporated.
Meatballs on a baking tray ready to get rolled by hand.
Using a spoon or cookie scoop, section out balls onto a baking sheet.
Baking sheet with rolled meatballs ready for the oven.
Using slightly wet hands, shape and pack balls.
Baking tray on my kitchen counter with backed ground meatballs.
Bake until cooked all the way through.

Fun Combos

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 & cheddar
  • red peppers & feta
  • carrots & sweet potato
Hand holding a kids blue plate over my kitchen counter with how I serve these meatballs to my kids - meatballs cut in half with a dipping sauce and sliced strawberries.
Metal baking tray on my counter, with a hand dipping a meatball into a yellow dip.

Get the recipe: Baked Chicken & Veggie Meatballs for Baby (and Kids, Too!)

5 stars (90 ratings)
These 5-Star Healthy Chicken Meatballs are a perfect first finger food for your 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 meatballs are a healthy (and completely addicting) food for babies, toddlers, kids, and the entire family! 
Yield: 24 1″ meatballs
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients 

  • 1 lb ground chicken (or ground turkey)
  • 1/4 cup applesauce or apple puree, no sugar added
  • 1/2 cup carrot, finely shredded
  • 1/2 cup spinach, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (regular or panko)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 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: 6 Months and up
Yield: 24-30 meatballs depending on size
Storage: you can store these meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving: 1meatball, Calories: 32kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.9g, Protein: 2.5g, Fat: 0.3g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 31mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 0.4g, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 2mg

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Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).