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sliced chicken meatloaf with coleslaw on plate
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4.86 from 49 votes

Chicken Meatloaf Recipe With Vegetables

This chicken meatloaf recipe with vegetables is NOT dry and boring. It's soft, super moist and tasty with lots of hidden nutrition thanks to the onions, carrots and spinach. Your family will love this one. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 5 (8-9 slices)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, Note 1

Vegetable Filling

  • 1/4 large sweet onion
  • 3 small carrots, peeled, Note 2 (or 1 medium-large)
  • 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 2 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil

Breadcrumb & Seasoning Mixture

  • 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (I use a bit less)
  • 5 tablespoon milk (broth, tomato juice or wine can be used instead)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon Ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (good quality)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh or Italian seasoning)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste unless breadcrumbs or chicken have salt in them)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Glaze

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon good quality Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F/204C. Line a rimmed baking sheet - about 9 x 13 inch (33 x 23 cm) with parchment paper or aluminum foil, sprayed with cooking spray.
  • PREPARE VEGETABLE FILLING: Cut onion and carrots in 2 inch pieces. Place in food processor along with spinach and garlic. Process on high for a minute until finely minced.  Alternatively, chop all vegetables finely by hand. Heat oil in medium pan. Add vegetables and sauté on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and all liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
  • PREPARE BREADCRUMB AND SEASONING MIXTURE: In a large mixing bowl, mix bread crumbs and milk together. Let sit for a few minutes. Stir in remaining breadcrumb-seasoning mixture ingredients. Mixture will be pasty. 
  • MAKE CHICKEN MEATLOAF: Add vegetable and ground chicken meat mixture to bowl. Using clean hands formed into 'claws', use a twisting motion to lightly mix chicken, vegetable and breadcrumb mixture together just until combined (don't over mix). Place mixture on baking sheet and form it into a loaf shape approximately 10-12 X 5 inches (25-30 X 12 cm) and about 2 inches/5cm high. Loaf will be quite wet and sticky.  
  • BAKE: Combine ketchup and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Note 3. Brush glaze on top and sides of loaf. Bake for 30 minutes. Instant thermometer should read 160F. Let sit for 5-7 minutes to keep juices in and for easier slicing. Slice and serve. 

Video

Notes

  1. Options for ground chicken: ground dark chicken meat, a blend of white and dark chicken meat, all white meat or ground turkey. If you all white meat which doesn't have as much fat, I suggest adding another teaspoon or two of oil when you are sautéing the vegetables to help avoid a dry meatloaf.
  2. Vegetable options: instead of carrots and spinach, you can use mushrooms, zucchini, red peppers, broccoli or kale. Make sure the water evaporates when sautéing. Some chefs swear by mushrooms for increasing tenderness and adding flavor. The only vegetable I wouldn't leave out is the onions.
  3. Glaze alternative: Instead of a balsamic-ketchup glaze, make a classic meatloaf sweet ketchup glaze if you prefer: Combine 1/3 cup ketchup/75 grams with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon mustard.
  4. Make ahead: 
    • To store cooked chicken meatloaf: Cover leftovers with foil or a layer of plastic wrap and keep in fridge for up to 3 days. 
    • To freeze raw: Prepare loaf. Wrap the ground chicken mixture in foil and then in freezer bag. Freeze up to 6 months. Thaw in fridge the night before baking. 
    • To freeze cooked meatloaf: Cool loaf, then wrap well in foil and freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge.
      • To reheat cooked loaf: Set oven for 300F/149C, place thawed loaf in shallow baking dish with a couple tablespoons broth or water (to keep it moist), cover pan tightly with foil and warm for 20-30 minutes. 
Nutrition values are for a thick slice of meatloaf (or 1 1/2 thinner slices) and include the glaze topping. 
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 553mg | Potassium: 1022mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7641IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg