By Made with just 6 ingredients, these breakfast chicken pork meatballs come together in just 30 minutes. They have the same great sweet and savory flavor of a maple sausage, but all the sweetness comes naturally from shredded apples! They are so good my toddler ate 8 (yes 8) in one night! And did I mention each meatball has around 16g of protein?!
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As toddler parents, we have learned having something ready for our little one to eat as soon as he wakes up really helps. And a bonus - we also want to eat them!
That's where these chicken and pork breakfast meatballs shine! They take just 10 minutes of work and are the perfect handheld option for tired little ones or an on-the-go high-protein breakfast without protein powder for parents.
Jump to:
- meatballs for breakfast? yes please!
- ingredient notes & substitutions
- high protein ingredient spotlight: ground pork
- here's how to make chicken and pork breakfast meatballs
- expert tips
- best way to shred apples
- common questions
- troubleshooting & testing notes
- how to store & meal prep
- my favorite pairings with chicken breakfast meatballs
- Recipe
meatballs for breakfast? yes please!
- 16g of protein per meatball! Keeps you full and who doesn't love apple and white cheddar?!
- Easy meal prep: Make a double batch in just 15 minutes and reheat for a quick breakfast throughout the week.
- Sweet and savory flavor: Perfect for picky eaters! I'm not kidding when I say our toddler ate 8 mini breakfast meatballs in one night!!
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Ground breakfast pork: Breakfast sausage comes pre-seasoned, adding fat and flavor to keep the meatballs juicy. Opt for sage or spicy (for the parents), as maple will make these too sweet.
- Ground white meat chicken: Most ground chicken in the store is white meat, but sometimes you'll see both white and dark. Ground turkey works too. Whatever you do, don't use dark meat chicken!! We also love using ground white meat chicken for our chicken burgers.
- White cheddar (shredded): I just can't get enough of this! Any aged white cheddar will work. Gruyère is a favorite (also delicious in our cottage cheese egg bake!).
- Almond flour: Helps bind the meatballs while keeping them gluten-free.
- Baking powder: Gives a slight lift, making them tender.
- Honeycrisp apples (shredded): Adds natural sweetness and moisture without actually making them taste like apples. They add similar vibes to maple syrup without the syrup!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
high protein ingredient spotlight: ground pork
Ground pork is an excellent protein source, with about 22g of protein per 3-ounce serving. It also adds a natural juiciness to these meatballs, keeping them tender and flavorful. If you prefer, you can swap it out for more ground chicken, but adding an extra egg yolk will help keep the meatballs from drying out.
here's how to make chicken and pork breakfast meatballs
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full breakfast meatball recipe!
- Prep by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and shredding the cheese and apples.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Then, roll the mixture into 14 meatballs and place on a sheet tray.
- Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of each ball reaches 165 degrees F. Serve and enjoy!
quick recipe video
expert tips
- Use your hands to mix - It's the best way to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Wet your hands when rolling the meatballs - This helps prevent sticking and makes shaping easier.
- Check the temperature - Meatballs should reach 165°F internally to ensure they're fully cooked.
best way to shred apples
Remove the skin from the apples using a knife or apple peeler. Then, just shred with a cheese shredder, rotating to avoid the seeds.
common questions
Just swap the chicken with another pork sausage and use half of the cheese to cut down on the richness.
If you omit the ground breakfast pork, you'll be leaving out fat and seasoning. If you only want to use ground chicken, add an extra egg yolk, and ¼ teaspoon of each of these seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder.
troubleshooting & testing notes
Balancing the Flavors
I first made these meatballs with just ground chicken. I found that they were too dry for my liking. So, I decided to add ground pork for some extra richness and juiciness and the final meatball is perfectly balanced!
Subtle Flavors
When I first made these, I had way too much cheese that made them too rich with the pork. Less is more when it comes to the cheese.
how to store & meal prep
These meatballs are the perfect breakfast meal prep to enjoy all week! and if you want to give them new life, crumble them up and toss them into these sheet pan breakfast burritos, or check out our full post on what to serve with meatballs!
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a sheet tray, then transfer to a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months.
Reheating
FYI you can reheat from frozen too!
- Microwave: Heat for 30 seconds until warm.
- Oven: Bake at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
- Air fryer: Reheat at 325°F for 5 minutes.
my favorite pairings with chicken breakfast meatballs
Chicken and pork meatballs are the perfect protein-packed breakfast item to have on hand. You can eat them on their own, but here are some other foods I like to pair them with for a balanced breakfast:
- Oats such as cinnamon roll baked oats or brownie batter overnight oats are a great pairing for these meatballs because they provide fiber and carbs to keep you fueled.
- Smoothies are a super-easy pairing that are healthy and protein-packed, if you make something like our chocolate peanut butter smoothie!
- Pancakes and scones are breakfast classics that we can't get enough of in my house. Protein pancakes are fluffy and easy to make, and savory scones are a simple complement to these meatballs.
Recipe
chicken pork breakfast meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground breakfast pork ((it's important to use breakfast pork because it has spices already))
- 1 lb ground white meat chicken*
- ¾ cup white cheddar (shredded)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 honeycrisp apples (peeled and shredded)
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a cheese grater to shred the ¾ cup white cheddar and 2 honeycrisp apples.
- Mix together the shredded cheese, apples, 1 lb ground breakfast pork, 1 lb ground white meat chicken*, 1 cup almond flour, and 1 teaspoon baking powder in a large bowl (the best way to do this is with your hands). Scoop out 14 meatballs (about the size of a golf ball) and place them on a sheet tray. Then gently roll them into smooth balls. They are very tender, so work carefully. If they get sticky, wet your hands to minimize this.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
- These are delicious as is or as part of a breakfast lunchable with fruit and an egg bite!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
The whole family, including my toddler loved these. Prepping another batch the week. Looking forward to meal prepping these and some egg bites for a second time mom so she has easy breakfasts postpartum to prep for her toddler once baby comes.
That's such a great idea!!
These are so simple to make and are super delicious. When I compared the protein to a chicken sausage on the market, this recipe nearly tripled the amount of protein! I'm so happy to feed these to family.
Thanks so much for making them! So glad you think love them 🙂
Holy Moly, these are fantastic!!!! My boys (who are obsessed with anything ball shaped... boys....what can you do??) loved them! Adding this to our regular breakfeat rotation!
OMG that's amazing!!
Would definitely like to try this recipe! I noticed that recipe section states 14 meatballs, but the written out portion states 20 meatballs. Do you know which yield most accurately reflects the nutrition facts?
14 meatballs is the most accurate for servings! I’ll update the recipe!
Pop up ads block important parts of the recipe! Can’t even print the recipe without paying!! I understand that everyone wants $$$$$ but this is ridiculous and will cause you to lose people who are interested!
Hi Debbie, you do not have to pay to print. You simply need to enter your email and then you can print (totally free) which I find fair considering you will likely print and never come back to our site again so the least you can do is enter your email so we can let you know when new recipes are published.
These are delicious! Just made my second batch in 2 weeks. Great to have in the fridge and ready to eat!
So happy to hear that!
I really enjoyed this breakfast meatball recipe! It felt easy and quick to make AND eat on hectic week day mornings. I found that straight out of the oven, I didn’t love them but the next day when the flavors melded, they were fantastic! Recipe made huge meatballs.
Thats awesome!