Skip to main content
Epicurious

Freeform Chicken Meatballs With Carrots and Yogurt Sauce

By Anna Stockwell

4.7

(71)

Freeform chicken meatballs with carrots and a yogurt sauce on a greenish blue plate.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Shaping meatballs is too fussy for a weeknight meal. Instead, simply scatter a garam masala–spiced ground chicken mixture onto a sheet pan and roast it along with carrots until both are golden brown and crispy-edged. Serve with a tart yogurt sauce and a handful of greens for an easy dinner that deserves a permanent place in your weeknight rotation. For more ground chicken recipes, click here.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    45 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1½ lb. small carrots, scrubbed, tops trimmed to about ½", halved lengthwise
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
2¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 lb. ground chicken or ground turkey
6 scallions, white and pale-green parts finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 Tbsp. plain breadcrumbs
3 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp. store-bought or homemade garam masala
1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt, preferably full-fat
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving
2 cups baby arugula or watercress
Flaky sea salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°F. Toss carrots, red pepper flakes, 2 Tbsp. oil, and ½ tsp. kosher salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on lower rack, tossing once halfway through, until carrots are nicely browned and fork-tender, 20–25 minutes.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, mix ground chicken, scallions, egg, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, garam masala, 2 Tbsp. oil, and 1½ tsp. kosher salt in a large bowl until just combined.

    Step 3

    Rub another rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. oil. Using your hands, scatter chicken mixture in small mounds (about 2") on baking sheet. Roast on upper rack, turning pieces once halfway through with a spatula, until browned, crispy-edged, and cooked through, 15–20 minutes.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and remaining ¼ tsp. kosher salt in a small bowl. Spoon sauce over a platter or divide among plates, swooshing with the back of a spoon.

    Step 5

    Transfer carrots to baking sheet with meatballs and toss to combine. Arrange over yogurt sauce, then top with arugula. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice; season with sea salt.

TagsMeatballGround ChickenChickenPoultryGround TurkeyTurkeyCarrotRoot VegetableVegetableYogurtDairyScallionOnionMainDinnerNut FreeKetoWeeknight MealsQuickEasySheet-Pan DinnersOven BakeEpicurious

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Crispy Baked Wings With Berbere Honey Glaze and Fried Garlic
Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.
Chicken Croquettes
Rather than breaded and fried as you might expect croquettes to be, these are something more akin to a seared chicken salad patty.
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Slow-Smoked Chicken
An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Yogurt and Cucumber Soup
This luscious chilled yogurt soup, packed with fresh and dried mint, is an incredibly refreshing and cooling appetizer during the summer.
Tater Tots Tossed in Date Butter
Put these out at a gathering, and we guarantee you’ll be hearing rave reviews for a long time.
Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio
Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.