Sage Onion Chicken Balls (Printable)
Juicy sage and onion chicken balls baked golden; gluten-free breadcrumb option. Great as an appetizer or main.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 pounds ground chicken, preferably thigh meat
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Herbs & Spices
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dried sage
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - Pinch of ground nutmeg, optional
→ Binders
09 - 2/3 cup breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
10 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
→ For Baking
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 3–4 minutes until softened; add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, blend ground chicken, cooled onion and garlic mixture, sage, thyme, salt, black pepper, and optional nutmeg until evenly distributed.
04 - Stir in breadcrumbs and the lightly beaten egg. Mix gently until just combined, taking care not to overwork the mixture.
05 - With damp hands, shape the mixture into balls using about 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture per ball. Arrange on the prepared baking tray.
06 - Lightly brush or drizzle the chicken balls with the remaining olive oil.
07 - Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Serve the chicken balls hot with your preferred dip or as part of a main meal.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get juicy, herby chicken bites that taste like you fussed way more than you did.
- Leftovers make the best midday snack—I actually look forward to them even more the next day.
02 -
- If you don’t let the onion cool a bit before mixing, you might scramble bits of egg and end up with rubbery bites.
- Switching from dried to fresh sage the first time blew my mind—the aroma transforms the whole room, promise.
03 -
- Don’t skip shaping with damp hands—otherwise you’ll be picking sticky chicken off your palms the whole time.
- Turn the balls halfway through baking for even browning and soft golden edges.