Chicken Meatloaf
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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!
Why you’ll love this meatloaf:
- A lightened up version of classic meatloaf thanks to the ground chicken.
- Perfectly moist, and it pairs perfectly with roasted fingerling potatoes.
- A family-friendly meal that’s great to prep on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week.
Table of Contents
Chicken Meatloaf is a lighter version of your favorite meatloaf. It’s made with the classic ingredients like ground chicken, onion and parsley, and brushed with a sweet and tangy glaze. Plus, the recipe is ready in about an hour!
I love using ground chicken to make meatballs, like my Paleo-friendly Italian chicken meatballs, but it’s also great for meatloaf!
- If you’re looking for another meatloaf recipe, you must try this Whole30 Meatloaf that’s made with ground beef and almond flour instead of breadcrumbs!
Chicken Meatloaf Ingredients
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.
- 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.
How to Make Chicken Meatloaf
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.
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.
Step 3: Bake. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake it for 1 hour. Always use a meat thermometer to confirm it’s done.
Erin’s Tips
-Do NOT over-mix the chicken mixture; otherwise, the meatloaf will turn out tough, and we don’t want that.
-To remove the meatloaf, simply use a spatula and slide it from the baking dish onto a plate or serving platter.
-Let the meatloaf cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. If you slice it as soon as it comes out of the oven, there’s a chance it will fall apart.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Want to make this gluten free? Simply use gluten free breadcrumbs, and use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Chicken meatloaf pairs perfectly with air fryer carrots, savory mashed sweet potatoes and/or fried brussels sprouts.
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.
Once it’s cooled, store meatloaf in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More chicken recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Chicken Meatloaf
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
for the sauce:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp 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
Nutrition
We absolutely love this recipe! So much flavor! Always moist and delicious! I don’t use the suggested glaze. I slice leftovers and dress them up like chicken parm with provolone and tomato sauce! Yum!
I’m glad you like the meatloaf!
Saving recipe as a favorite dish to make again!
Thanks for the positive review, Kim!
Flavour is fine but extremely salty!
I sauteed chopped onion and some diced peppers along with the garlic before putting it into the meatloaf. I also added a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. It’s very tasty!
I’m so glad you liked the meatloaf!
This meatloaf is delicious! It’s a nice change from the traditional meatloaf and is moist and flavorful. I had all the ingredients except ketchup so I used barbecue sauce for the topping and it tasted great! I highly recommend this recipe…it will become a family favorite.
I’m so glad you like the meatloaf!
This was my first time making meatloaf, and it was delicious! Moist and flavorful, and the glaze is tangy and elevates the flavor.
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Abby!
Hi
Is it ok to just form a loaf on a cookie sheet ?
Would love to try this ..
Yes that’s fine!
I’ve never made anything like this before. It was good and my kids liked it too. I even added a generous handful of chopped fresh baby spinach. Totally worked fine on a cookie sheet.
This recipe was a big hit with family. The meatloaf was juicy with lots of flavor.
Thanks Bill, happy the meatloaf was a hit!
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!
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!
Thanks Sabrina — so happy you enjoyed the meatloaf!