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Home » Recipes » Chicken

Chicken Meatloaf

By Erin · March 11, 2021 · Updated September 26, 2021 · 9 Comments

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meatloaf on parchment and on a plate with text overlay

This Chicken Meatloaf is the easiest weeknight dinner recipe! It's perfectly moist, made with ground chicken and parmesan cheese and is topped with a delicious ketchup glaze. Plus, it comes together in just 1 hour. Talk about healthy comfort food!

sliced meatloaf on a piece of parchment paper

Can you believe this chicken meatloaf is the first meatloaf recipe on my site?! I can't!

I originally attempted a traditional meatloaf recipe but I didn't love it, so I decided to switch to ground chicken instead. This chicken meatloaf is surprisingly moist, and it comes together in just 1 hour.

I love using ground chicken to make meatballs, like my Paleo-friendly Italian chicken meatballs, but it's also great for meatloaf! A nice change of pace from beef, and a tad lighter too.

Plus, it's topped with a ketchup sauce that tastes so much better than it sounds. I promise!

Recipe features

  • A family-friendly meal and a nice change of pace from meatloaf made with ground beef
  • Perfectly moist, and it pairs perfectly with roasted fingerling potatoes
  • Great to prep on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week
meatloaf on parchment paper

Ingredient notes:

Unfortunately for this recipe, I do not recommend making substitutions. All of the ingredients used serve a purpose, and provide a specific flavor to this recipe. Of course you can switch things up, but I don't have a ton of options to offer.

Ground chicken: Nothing specific here, but this is the MAIN ingredient, so I really wouldn't change that.

Parmesan cheese: If there's ONE ingredient you're going to omit, it can be the cheese. Again, I think it adds flavor, but it's not an absolute must.

Milk: Any kind! I used almond milk and it worked great.

Eggs: I haven't tested this recipe without eggs; flax eggs might work, but I'm not sure.

Breadcrumbs: I'd go with either plain or Panko breadcrumbs rather than seasoned ones.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Combine ingredients. Start by adding the ground chicken, onion, garlic, parsley, cheese, eggs, milk, tomato paste, soy sauce, salt, and breadcrumbs to a large bowl. Use your hands to gently combine everything together.

ingredients in a large glass bowl

Step 2: Form meatloaf. Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish, then use your hands to form a it into meatloaf (i.e. essentially a rectangular shape). Brush the top with HALF of the sauce, reserving the rest for later.

uncooked meatloaf in a baking dish

Step 3: Bake. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake it for 1 hour.

Tips and tricks

-To make gluten free: use gluten free breadcrumbs, and sub tamari or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce

-Do NOT over-mix the chicken mixture; otherwise, the meatloaf will turn out tough, and we don't want that.

What should I serve alongside meatloaf?

Chicken meatloaf pairs perfectly with air fryer carrots, savory mashed sweet potatoes and/or fried brussels sprouts.

Do I have to include the ketchup sauce?

Technically no, but I think it adds another layer to the meatloaf that shouldn't be skipped. If you hate ketchup, try using BBQ sauce instead.

How should this be stored?

Once it's cooled, wrap meatloaf in foil or plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

meatloaf, spinach and mashed potatoes on a plate

More chicken recipes

  • Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
  • Instant Pot Whole Chicken
  • Mango Chicken Salad

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

sliced meatloaf on a piece of parchment paper

Chicken Meatloaf

This Chicken Meatloaf is the easiest weeknight dinner recipe! It's perfectly moist, made with ground chicken and parmesan cheese and is topped with a delicious ketchup glaze. Plus, it comes together in just 1 hour. Talk about healthy comfort food!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Erin

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • ½ cup yellow onion diced
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup parsley chopped
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup milk of choice
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs

for the sauce:

  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease a baking pan or casserole dish with nonstick spray then set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add ALL of the ingredients (except the sauce ingredients) and use your hands to gently combine, being careful not to over-mix.
  • Transfer the meatloaf to the baking dish, then use your hands to carefully form it into meatloaf, using a rubber spatula to smooth it out. Next, make the sauce: whisk ketchup and soy sauce together. Brush HALF of the sauce over the meatloaf.
  • Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour, then remove it and wait at least 15 minutes before inverting it onto a plate. Brush the remaining sauce overtop, then slice and enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per slice and are an estimation 
*Storage: wait for meatloaf to cool, then wrap in plastic wrap or foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!
« Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops (Whole30) »

About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Abby V says

    March 12, 2023 at 4:26 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time making meatloaf, and it was delicious! Moist and flavorful, and the glaze is tangy and elevates the flavor.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 12, 2023 at 7:30 pm

      Thanks for the 5-star rating, Abby!

      Reply
  2. Leslie says

    March 07, 2023 at 11:16 pm

    Hi
    Is it ok to just form a loaf on a cookie sheet ?
    Would love to try this ..

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 08, 2023 at 8:17 am

      Yes that's fine!

      Reply
  3. Bill Desjarlais says

    June 05, 2022 at 10:15 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was a big hit with family. The meatloaf was juicy with lots of flavor.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 06, 2022 at 2:37 pm

      Thanks Bill, happy the meatloaf was a hit!

      Reply
  4. Cheryl Ford says

    April 01, 2022 at 11:53 am

    5 stars
    This is the first time I made a meatloaf without using ground beef and I wasn't disappointed! This recipe is easy to follow, has ingredients you already have, and is a wonderful change from the traditional meatloaf. I have starting using more ground chicken for health reasons and found I really like it, especially when used in a recipe like this chicken meatloaf. I found the meatloaf so flavorful. I used barbeque sauce on top and liked the combination of chicken with barbeque. This has become a family favorite!

    Reply
  5. Sabrina says

    March 13, 2021 at 9:29 am

    5 stars
    I never think about ground chicken for anything, let alone meatloaf, a nice change, the traditional recipe was never a favorite of mine - a new flavor to consider, thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 14, 2021 at 8:48 am

      Thanks Sabrina -- so happy you enjoyed the meatloaf!

      Reply

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