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Baked Ground Turkey Meatballs 

Baked Ground Turkey Meatballs Recipe

  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 med onion minced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) uncooked instant oatmeal
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) basil
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) oregano
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) parsley
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground sage
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) pepper

Mince your onion and garlic or throw them in a food processor if you don't want to chop them.

Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together.

I usually mix by hand.

I use a #30 (3 Tbsp) scoop and scrape the side on the bowl so they are all the same size.

Cover your sheet or pan with tin foil for easy clean up.

There is no need to put baked ground chicken meatballs on a rack because they are really lean and won't have much grease.

They bake fine even if they are touching, just keep them in a single layer.

Bake at 425F (240 C) 20-25 minutes.

Don't overcook or they will be dry, especially when reheated.

Don't undercook for food safety reasons.

Break one open and make sure the center is cooked through before serving or cooling to freeze.


How to Freeze Ground Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs can be frozen raw after you shape them or after they are cooked and cooled.

Freeze them in a single layer on a lined cookie sheet for an hour or until solid.

Then put the meatballs in freezer quality bags or containers, label and date and add to your freezer inventory sheet.

How to Reheat Frozen Meatballs
Cooked frozen meatballs can be reheated in the microwave for a few minutes, thrown into a sauce on the stove or baked in the oven.

Raw meatballs can be cooked in sauce in the crockpot or on the stove from frozen or thawed first.

They can also be baked from frozen or thawed.

Bake frozen meatballs 50% longer than thawed meatballs, about 30-35 minutes.

Salsa Chicken

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 Tbsps taco or Mexican seasoning
  • ½ cup salsa
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Optional Toppings

  • sour cream
  • chives or green onions
  • guacamole

I’ve made this with bone in chicken pieces and they are much harder to eat, I really recommend boneless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe.

Place chicken in the crockpot or inside a lined baking dish, sprinkle seasoning on top of chicken then pour salsa on top.

Turn on crockpot for 4-6 hours, until done or bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until done.

Top with cheese and let melt after the chicken is cooked through.

Add sour cream and chives just before serving.

How Can I Make This Healthier
This salsa chicken recipe is a pretty healthy to start with, chicken is a lean meat and the salsa is full of veggies.

  • Use skinless chicken to keep the fat content down, cut off the skin yourself if you have to.
  • Serve more veggies on the side, corn is great for this.
  • Use less or low fat sour cream and cheddar cheese.

What Other Variations Can I Try?
Change up the seasoning, use a fajita seasoning, make your own Mexican seasoning or add more cumin or garlic or chili powder to taste.

Try different salsas or cheeses.

To Freeze Salsa Chicken
This dish really is prettier with the salsa and cheese on top so I freeze them separately.

Put the chicken in a large freezer bag and add the seasoning.

Give it a shake to coat all the chicken.

Place coasted chicken on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet to flash freeze if you want to cook the dish from frozen.

Once frozen solid put the chicken back in the freezer bag.

Next put the salsa and shredded cheese into separate small freezer bags.

Put the cheese and salsa bags inside the large bag with the chicken to keep them all together.

Label the large bag as Salsa Chicken and include the date, freeze flat and add to your freezer inventory.

To Thaw and Cook
Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight unless you flash froze the individual pieces.

Crockpot: Place chicken in the crock pot and top with salsa. Cook 4-6 hours or until done.

Top with cheese and let melt or help it melt by putting it under the oven broiler for a minute or two.

Top with sour cream, chives and anything else you want.

Oven: I like to line a baking dish with sides with aluminum foil to make clean up easier.

Then place the chicken in the dish and top with salsa.

Bake for 25-30 minutes for thawed chicken, 40-45 minutes if frozen and check for doneness.

When done, remove the chicken and top with cheese.

Let cheese melt as the chicken rests at room temperature.

Top with sour cream, chives and anything else you want before serving.


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