Bacon Chicken Meatballs in Bacon Cream Sauce

Why you’ll love this recipe:

If you think ground chicken is boring, bland, and dry, I’m here to tell you to think again! My ground chicken meatballs recipe is juicy, tender, and insanely flavorful. In other words, it’s definitely NOT boring!

Rich and savory bacon chicken meatballs are bathed in a lusciously rich and creamy bacon cream sauce. Are you noticing a theme here? In my opinion, there’s no such thing as too much bacon, and bacon plus cream equals pure comfort food! 

• Easy – The meatballs are made using a food processor and cookie scoop, which means easy mixing and clean hands. 
• Make-ahead – You can prepare the ground chicken meatballs in advance and refrigerate or freeze them for later.
• Versatile – Serve the meatballs with your favorite pasta or rice. My favorite is linguini! 

Not only is this the best chicken meatballs recipe, but the bacon cream sauce turns any side dish into a super side dish! You won’t find a more satisfying and flavorful easy dinner recipe to end a busy day. 

Key Ingredient Notes:

For the bacon chicken meatballs

• Bacon – I love thick-cut bacon over thin-cut for this recipe. It crisps up while still maintaining a nice, chewy texture. We’re adding uncooked bacon pieces directly into the meatball mixture to provide the meatballs with rich and savory flavors.  
• Ground chicken has a lighter, less fatty flavor than ground beef or pork. It complements the rich, heavy cream sauce really well. If needed, you can substitute chicken breasts for ground chicken. Simply place whole chicken breasts in the food processor with the bacon, and pulse until well chopped. 
• Egg acts as a binder, ensuring the meatballs don’t fall apart after they bake. 
• Fresh parsley helps to balance the richness of the overall dish. A half cup might seem like a lot, but the fresh flavors are needed to brighten the meatballs and sauce.  
• Panko breadcrumbs – These also help to hold the meatballs together. Additionally, panko breadcrumbs absorb moisture, helping to keep the meatballs juicy and tender by trapping the moisture inside.  
• Garlic – This chicken meatballs recipe calls for 5 whole cloves of garlic. But don’t worry, garlic sweetens and mellows as it cooks. It’s truly the perfect amount! 
• Dijon adds depth of flavor as well as a slight tang. 

For the bacon cream sauce

• Bacon cooks in a skillet until crisp. It adds amazing flavor and texture to the sauce! 
• Shallot – For a milder, more subtle onion flavor. You can substitute with a Vidalia onion if needed. 
• Garlic – A few more freshly minced cloves are added for good measure! 
• Chicken broth – I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth. The bacon will add a salty flavor, and you can always add more salt to taste. 
• Heavy whipping cream gives the cream sauce a luscious texture. 
• Lemon juice or white vinegar provides acidity, cutting through the heavy cream’s richness and balancing the sauce’s overall flavor. 

How to make this chicken meatballs recipe:

1. Make the bacon ground chicken meatballs

Before you get started on the meatballs, preheat your oven to 350°F, and line 2 baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper. 

• Place the bacon in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. 
• Add all of the remaining meatball ingredients to the food processor, and pulse until everything is well combined. 
• Form the ground chicken mixture into about 1-inch meatballs using a medium-sized cookie scoop. 
• Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheets, and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked. 

2. Prepare the bacon cream sauce  

• Cook the chopped bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. I used a large, 12-inch skillet. 
• Remove the bacon bits from the skillet, and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel. Drain most of the bacon fat from the skillet, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon. 
• Reduce the heat to medium, and add the minced shallot to the skillet. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant. 
• Pour the chicken broth into the skillet. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat, scraping the pan to deglaze. Boil the broth until reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes. 
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the cream and lemon juice. Gently simmer for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the chicken meatballs and cooked bacon bits to the cream sauce, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

3. Serve the chicken meatballs and sauce

• Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. 
• Serve this chicken meatballs recipe over pasta or fluffy white rice. Enjoy!

Storing Tips:

• Store leftover bacon chicken meatballs and bacon cream sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 
• Cream sauce should be reheated gently to avoid curdling or separating. To reheat, warm the meatballs and bacon cream sauce on the stove over low heat. If the cream sauce has become overly thick, add a splash of chicken broth or milk to thin it out. 
• I avoid freezing cream sauce because it can become grainy during thawing. It’s best to freeze the chicken meatballs recipe separately and make the cream sauce fresh when you’re ready to serve!

More Meatball Recipes:

• Meatballs and Gravy
• Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs
• Instant Pot Beer BBQ Meatballs and Rice
• Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs