The Softest Chicken Meatball Recipe for Babies and Toddlers
This recipe has been a favorite on the blog and with good reason! All the moms that have made it have had success with it, especially when you are introducing more solids than purees, this is just the recipe for that. Chicken meatballs are a fantastic way to introduce protein to babies and toddlers. They’re soft, easy to chew, and perfect for little hands to pick up and explore. This recipe focuses on creating the softest, most tender chicken meatballs, ensuring they’re gentle on young palates while still being packed with nutrients.
The Softest Chicken meatball recipe is an excellent baby or toddler dinner. You can serve with a side of rice or mashed potatoes, whatever you prefer. These are freezer-friendly, I suggest storing any leftovers in the freezer and heating up in the microwave, for quick and convenient meals on those busy days.
Why Choose Chicken Meatballs for Babies & Toddlers?
- Soft Texture:
Unlike tougher cuts of meat, these meatballs are moist and tender, making them ideal for babies who are still learning to chew. The addition of carrots and zucchini ensures the meatballs stay soft, even after cooking, making them easy for little ones to chew. - Nutrient-Rich:
Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein and essential nutrients like iron and zinc, which are crucial for growth and development. They are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals from the veggies inside, making them great for even the pickiest toddler. - Customizable:
You can adjust the ingredients to suit your baby’s preferences and dietary needs, adding gentle flavors without overwhelming their developing taste buds. - Freezer-Friendly: You can make a large batch and freeze leftovers for quick meals on busy days. Simply reheat and serve.
Tips For Success:
-When making these meatballs the chicken is very soft, so when rolling into balls make sure to be extra gentle.
-Prepare the meatballs before adding them to the pot to make cooking easier and smoother.
What you need:
If you like this recipe, here are a few more baby and toddler friendly dinner you should try:
Turkey Meatballs
Softest Beef Meatball
Baby’s First Chicken Soup
The Softest Chicken Meatball
Ingredients
Optional
Directions
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Dice onion and put to the side
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Grate carrot and zucchini into mixing bowl
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Add ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, turmeric, black pepper and any other seasonings of choice and work your meat a little till everything is incorporated together
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When ready, gently prepare your balls
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On the stove heat up oven safe pan with avocado oil
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Add onion, turmeric, black pepper, salt and sauté for a few minutes till golden
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Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil
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Start adding your meatballs on high heat Do not touch meatballs with any cooking utensils, you must let them harden a little
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Give your pan a little swirl to cover the meatballs with sauce and to move them around a bit
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Cover and bake in oven for 60 min on 350 F
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Let cool, serve along side rice or mashed potatoes & enjoy
The ingredients list has ‘1/2 tsp turmeric’, but the instructions use turmeric in both the meatball mix and the sauce. I used it in the mix 🤷🏻♂️
It’d be nice if the recipe had instructions for cooking the rice in the sauce, that way at the end you have multiple full meals you can just freeze (rather than having to make a side separately).