Authentic Swedish Chicken Meatballs Recipe with Creamy Sauce

Swedish Chicken Meatballs are flavorful baked chicken meatballs smothered in a savory, creamy sour cream sauce and served over noodles — an easy, comforting weeknight dinner.

In my house, baked chicken meatballs are a family favorite. I use them in spaghetti and Parmesan garlic pasta, and I’ve even made a keto version. When I wanted the flavors of Swedish meatballs without the beef, this Swedish Chicken Meatballs recipe was the answer.

Why choose chicken meatballs?

• Baked chicken meatballs are light and versatile.
• They’re great added to soups, stews and pasta dishes.
• They’re easy to prepare and bake in under 30 minutes.
• They offer a leaner alternative to beef and can be baked for less mess.

These baked meatballs are paired with a rich sour cream gravy loaded with savory notes, making a quick and satisfying dinner the whole family will enjoy.

WHY SWEDISH CHICKEN MEATBALLS WORK SO WELL

This isn’t an authentic Swedish recipe, but it’s an easy, tasty take on the flavors most of us associate with Swedish meatballs.

• Ready in just over 30 minutes — perfect for weeknights.
• Baked meatballs free you from standing over the stove.
• No frying means no greasy splatter to clean up.
• The savory sour cream gravy is comforting and rich.
• This recipe yields extra sauce, so you won’t run short.
• Serve over egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes or zoodles.

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Ground chicken
• Egg
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper
• Olive oil and butter
• All-purpose flour
• Beef stock
• Sour cream
• Soy sauce and Dijon mustard
• Fresh parsley
• Large egg noodles

HOW TO MAKE SWEDISH CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. In a large bowl combine ground chicken, an egg, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and chopped fresh parsley. Mix gently with your hands until combined but not overworked.

Form about 20 meatballs using a spoon, a scooper or your hands, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned.

While the meatballs bake, make the sour cream sauce. In a large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute while whisking to form a roux. Gradually pour in beef stock while whisking to prevent lumps.

Add soy sauce, Dijon mustard, grated Parmesan, sour cream, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened.

Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. When the meatballs finish baking, transfer them directly into the simmering gravy and let them warm through for about five minutes so they absorb some sauce flavor.

Serve the meatballs and sauce over noodles and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

PRO TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Panko breadcrumbs are coarser than regular breadcrumbs and keep the meatballs light — find them in most grocery stores.
• Use a kitchen scooper for uniform meatballs and even cooking.
• If fresh parsley isn’t available, dried parsley will work in a pinch.
• These meatballs adapt well to other proteins — try beef, turkey or a mix of chicken and pork.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste; I often add extra pepper at the end.
• Parmesan in the gravy adds depth and prevents the sauce from tasting flat.
• Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, rice or zoodles for a complete meal.

MORE COMFORT FOOD YOU’LL ENJOY

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• Sticky Barbecue Oven Baked Ribs
• Homemade Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Better Than Your Momma’s Classic Meatloaf
• Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew