These Italian-Inspired Chicken Meatballs are lighter than a beef and pork meatball. But they’re equally as flavorful paired with your favorite tomato sauce and gluten free pasta! While I LOVE a good red-meat meatball, most days of the week I prefer something lighter. Leaner proteins like chicken and turkey are much easier on my stomach, so this recipe is lovely for weeknight lunches and/or dinners!
I honestly like eating lean protein, especially because I can tell it makes my body happy! I know some of us (aka, the mister in my household) definitely do not prefer chicken breast. And I get it. When compared to beef or dark meat like chicken thighs, it’s definitely more dry. If you have a similar opinion and you can’t stand lean meat but still want something lighter, I suggest trying this recipe with 1/2 lb. of ground chicken breast and 1/2 lb. of ground chicken thigh.
Just so you know! This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission when you click on links and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. However, rest assured that I would never mention or recommend any specific products that I don’t use and love myself!
These will go great with a light and refreshing tomato sauce and any type of gluten free pasta. Or you can serve it as an appetizer or in-between tummy-safe bread slices with your sauce of choice! I’ve yet to try it as the latter, but it sounds super yum to me.
On garlic-infused olive oils, know that not all store-bought garlic oils are safe! Depending on the manufacturing process, some final products could end up with FODMAPs. More on that in this article by FODMAP Everyday. My favorite garlic-infused olive oil is by Garlic Gold, which I buy in bulk on Amazon for the cheapest per-price bottle. You can also purchase one bottle to try if you don’t want to commit to a 6-pack.
This rendition is Low FODMAP, Paleo, Egg Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Yeast Free and Whole30-Complaint. WOO! It’s seriously a recipe to agree with many tummies.
Looking for something more hearty? For those who are Paleo and/or dairy free, give my Beef & Pork Italian Meatballs a try. If you’re currently eating dairy and grains, I suggest you give my original Italian Meatball recipe a go!
And if you make these Paleo, Dairy Free, Whole-30 Compliant Italian Chicken Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment, give the recipe a rating or tag me on Instagram, @thefodmapfactor! I love it when you guys try my recipes, and I’d love to know if you enjoy them as much as I do!
Italian Chicken Meatballs – Low FODMAP, Paleo, Dairy Free, Whole30
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken breast
- ⅓ cup fine blanched almond flour
- ⅓ cup finely chopped green onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning OR 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp dried basil and 1/4 tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease sheet to prevent sticking.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. The mixture can get sticky, so use a large spoon to mix thoroughly and spoon out into 1- to 1½-inch balls, using fingers to smooth out the spoonful before sliding it onto the greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center. Combine with favorite sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- If using store-bought garlic-infused oil that is not certified FODMAP-friendly, make sure to use a brand that doesn’t list “garlic oil,” “garlic essential oil,” “garlic essence,” “garlic flavoring,” “natural roasted garlic flavor,” or anything similar in the ingredients list. There’s no way to know whether these ingredients are low FODMAP. More on that in this article on FODMAP Everyday.
- If your meatballs are too sticky to handle, dipping your fingers in a little bit of water between meatballs will help.
