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Easy Cranberry Glazed Chicken Meatballs with Rice

Cranberry glazed chicken meatballs are baked until tender and cooked through, then tossed in a warm, slightly thickened cranberry-orange glaze. Serve them over fluffy long-grain white rice for an easy dinner with a sweet-tangy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 43 minutes
standing time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 700
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the rice
  • 2.25 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cups long-grain white rice
For the chicken meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg large
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
  • 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
For the cranberry glaze
  • 1 can (14 oz) whole-berry cranberry sauce
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Equipment

  • 1 2-quart saucepan
  • 1 rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 1-quart saucepan

Method
 

Make the rice
  1. Bring the water and butter to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan.
  2. Stir in the rice.
  3. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
  4. Remove from the heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes.
  5. Fluff the rice with a fork.
Make the chicken meatballs
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Gently mix the ground chicken, panko, egg, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  4. Shape the mixture into about 20 meatballs.
  5. Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 18–22 minutes, until cooked through and 165°F in the center.
Make the cranberry glaze and serve
  1. Stir the cranberry sauce, orange juice, Dijon, and honey together in a 1-quart saucepan.
  2. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and slightly thickened.
  3. Toss the cooked meatballs with the glaze and serve over the rice.

Notes

Mix the meatball ingredients gently and stop as soon as combined to help keep them tender. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free panko.