Description

These French Onion Chicken Meatballs combine tender, flavorful chicken meatballs with a rich, caramelized onion and beef broth sauce topped with melted Havarti cheese. This low-carb, savory dish offers a comforting twist on classic French onion flavors, perfect for a hearty dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken (lean or thighs)
1 medium sweet onion (grated and drained)
1 egg
4 cloves garlic (grated)
⅓ cup potato chips (crushed, measured after crushing)
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
⅓ cup parsley (or cilantro, finely chopped)
1 ½ tsp kosher salt

French Onion Sauce and Topping

2 large sweet onions (thinly sliced)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups beef broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme (plus more for garnish)
1 tsp kosher salt
7 slices Havarti cheese (or substitute with 2 cups Gruyere cheese)

Instructions

Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, grated and drained sweet onion, egg, grated garlic, crushed potato chips, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and kosher salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined.
Form Meatballs: Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, portion the chicken mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. With wet hands, gently form the scooped mixture into meatballs and place them spaced apart on the sheet.
Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Keep the oven on for melting cheese later.
Caramelize Onions: While meatballs bake, heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil, and then sliced onions with 1 tsp kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are very soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add the unsalted butter halfway through cooking and continue stirring to prevent burning.
Add Garlic and Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add fresh thyme sprigs and beef broth, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Transfer the baked meatballs into the skillet with the French onion sauce. Top each meatball with some caramelized onions and slices of Havarti cheese.
Melt Cheese: Place the skillet back into the 450°F oven and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve and Garnish: Remove from oven, garnish meatballs with fresh parsley, and serve warm for a delicious low-carb meal.

Notes

Using crushed potato chips adds a nice texture and flavor while keeping the meatballs low carb.
Grating and draining the onion before adding to the meatball mixture prevents excess moisture.
Havarti cheese melts beautifully, but Gruyere is a great substitute for a more traditional French onion flavor.
Beef broth enriches the sauce but use low sodium broth to control saltiness.
Keep an eye on the onions when caramelizing to avoid burning; stirring frequently helps.
Make sure meatballs reach 165°F internal temperature to ensure they are safe to eat.
You can garnish with fresh thyme along with parsley for added aroma.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Baking, Sautéing, Simmering
Cuisine: French-American Fusion

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 5 meatballs with sauce)
Calories: 360 kcal
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 650 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 32 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg

Keywords: French onion chicken meatballs, low carb meatballs, baked chicken meatballs, caramelized onion sauce, Havarti cheese meatballs, healthy chicken dinner