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    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Easy Dinners

    The Best Mexican Meatballs With Chipotle And Adobo

    Published: May 31, 2020 · Updated: Jul 30, 2022 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Close up of meatballs pin
    Meatballs in bowl with spoon pin

    Chipotle seasoned chicken turned into Mexican meatballs is an easy dinner with fresh flavors. The best part: these are BAKED chicken meatballs, and are hands-off while you make the rest of the meal!


    Everyone loves a meatball. People like chicken. Quite a few folks like Mexican food. I combined everything and this recipe will blow your mind!

    Chicken chipotle meatballs mix delicious Mexican flavors like smokey chipotle and cumin with healthy ground chicken for a very delicious dinner. They are fantastic served with Cilantro Lime Rice and my super green Cilantro Salsa with Lime and Jalapeno.

    chicken meatballs over rice with salsa
    Jump to:
    • How to make meatballs in the oven
    • Ground chicken meatballs tips
    • What's chipotle?
    • Try some of these delicious ways to eat Mexican meatballs:
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ground chicken meatballs in the oven are super easy to make. I have seasoned mine with the smoky Mexican chipotle and served them over rice. This is one of my favorite Mexican-inspired dinners.

    Plus, you can make these meatballs ahead, make a double batch, and keep some in the freezer.

    They are so versatile: Serve them over rice with salsa, like me, or in a tortilla as a taco, even in a torta (a Mexican sandwich on a soft roll). I share even more ideas below.

    How to make meatballs in the oven

    The best chicken meatballs are baked! Of course, you could cook the chipotle meatballs in a skillet with a little oil; but I like to cook them in the oven. Less mess and I'm free to prepare the rest of dinner while they roast.

    Baking meatballs is one of my favorite dinner-prep tricks. Here's how to do it:

    • Line a baking sheet with foil.
    • Heat oven to 350ºF.
    • Roll meatballs and place them on the foil-lined baking sheet.
    • Small meatballs will roast for about 25 minutes.

    I bake these Chicken Meatballs with Cumin and Orange in the oven as well as the meatballs for this delicious Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs dinner.

    My Moroccan Porcupine Meatballs dinner is baked in the oven as well.

    Chipotle Chicken Meatballs on baking sheet just out of the oven

    Ground chicken meatballs tips

    If you've ever rolled ground chicken meatballs, you know they don't roll as easily as beef or sausage meatballs. The ground chicken is sticky because it is so lean; there's no fat to keep the mixture from sticking to your hands.

    My tip: Have a bowl of water close and keep your hands wet when rolling. This will help the chicken not stick and you'll get a nice smooth roll.

    This recipe has a preparation bonus! The little meatballs freeze like a dream, to be cooked and devoured at a later date. 

    My tip: Freeze rolled ground chicken meatballs by placing them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, pile them in a zip-top freezer bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    Portioning meatballs into equal sizes can be tricky.

    My tip: I use a cookie scoop! Yes a metal food scoop that is about 2 tablespoons capacity will be perfect.


    What's chipotle?

    You'll find cans of chipotle in adobo in the grocery store. Usually in the Mexican food section.

    Chipotle are red, ripe jalapeños that have been smoked and dried. Chipotle in adobo are the smoked chilis rehydrated and canned in a garlic, spiced tomato puree. That's the adobo. It's a delicious tomato-based sauce that takes on the smokey flavor of the chilis.

    Together, the chipotle and adobo are a favorite ingredient for a delectable Mexican flavor base.

    Chipotle Chicken Meatballs over white rice in bowl with spoon

    Try some of these delicious ways to eat Mexican meatballs:

    I love the Mexican flavors in these chicken chipotle meatballs. It makes for diverse dinner options. My mouth is watering!

    • Serve with Spanish rice, enchilada sauce, and Cotija cheese.

    • Wrap in a burrito with beans, rice, and salsa.

    • Sauté onions and peppers, then serve with tortillas like fajitas.

    • Serve with rice, salsa verde, and tortilla chips with Pepper Jack cheese.

    • Place on top of a taco salad with chips, guac, and everything nice.

    • As an appetizer on a tortilla chip topped with guacamole.

    Fresh cilantro salsa goes perfectly with these chicken meatballs:

    Make this amazing cilantro salsa with jalapeños, green onions, and lime. This green salsa is so easy, so fresh and delicious.

    📖 Recipe

    Ground Chicken Mexican Meatballs With Chipotle And Adobo

    Tara Teaspoon
    Serve these with rice and salsa verde, in a tortilla with taco fixings, on nachos, rolled in enchiladas, dipped in spicy cheese sauce or added to tortilla soup.
    4.90 from 19 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course
    Servings 48 small meatballs

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lb ground chicken
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • 4 cloves garlic, (minced)
    • 1 cup onion, (finely chopped )
    • 2 eggs, (beaten)
    • ½ cup plain bread crumbs
    • 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, (finely chopped )
    • 2 teaspoon adobo sauce
    • 1½ teaspoon chili powder
    • 3 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
    • ½ cup cilantro, (finely chopped )

    Serving Suggestions

    • Sliced avocado
    • Cooked white rice or Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Cilantro and Jalapeno Salsa Verde
    • Tomato salsa

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Use a cookie scoop to portion out mixture into about 48 small balls; and roll into shaped meatballs. Freeze or cook.
    • *Roll with wet hands to keep the mixture from sticking. Rewet hands with water as needed.
    • To sauté, heat 2 teaspoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add meatballs taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Turn frequently to brown on all sides and cook through, about 8 to 10 min.
    • To bake, heat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and add meatballs, cook small meatballs about 25 minutes.
    • Serve as desired, or with rice, Cilantro and Jalapeno Salsa Verde, and other salsas.

    Notes

    Nutrition is per meatball.
    Delicious with easy Cilantro and Jalapeno Salsa Verde
    •These meatballs freeze nicely and will be ready for cooking when you are!
    To cook frozen meatballs, place on a foil-lined pan and cover pan with foil so the meatballs can cook covered for a while. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes and then remove the foil covering. Bake until internal temperature is 170ºF on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes more.
    Try my other meatball recipes: 
    • Moroccan Porcupine Meatballs
    • Pesto and Red Pepper Beef Meatballs
    • Chicken Meatballs with Cumin and Orange

    Nutrition

    Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 130mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 81IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
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    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Recipe Tara Teaspoon. Original LHJ Mar/11. Photography Darianne Edwards

    Comments

      4.90 from 19 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    1. Tara says

      April 20, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      I love that these meatballs are baked! Such a flavor-packed and easy meal. They sound incredible paired with the Cilantro and Jalapeno Salsa Verde.

      Reply
    2. Mary says

      April 20, 2021 at 3:02 pm

      I love that kicky chipotle flavor! Adds so much to these!

      Reply
    3. Traci says

      April 20, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      Flavor and texture galore! Love how easy and beautiful these are...thanks for sharing this family favorite 🙂

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

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