Quick Chicken Meatloaf Recipe
Crank up the flavor in your chicken meatloaf game by opting for ground dark meat instead of white. Mix it with sautéed onions, carrots, celery, and aged Gouda for an extra kick of taste and moisture. Pop it in the oven for about an hour and serve it with our tantalizing Mushroom Gravy or some zesty Sautéed Zucchini for a scrumptious weeknight dinner.
When shopping, pick up a bag of coarse Japanese-style breadcrumbs called Panko. These are usually found in the international section of most stores. Go for all-dark-meat ground chicken for the juiciest meatloaf experience. If you stick with all white meat, you'll end up with a dry and less flavorful dish.
This recipe was a standout in our meatloaf recipe slideshow.
- Serves: 4 to 6
- Difficulty: Easy on the skill level
- Total time: 1 hr 50 mins (if you measure your booze with a shot glass, you'll finish in just over an hour)
Ingredients (16)
- Grease a loaf pan with some butter
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 cup of diced yellow onion (half a medium one)
- Half a cup of diced carrot (a medium one)
- Half a cup of diced celery (a medium stalk)
- One small garlic clove, minced
- 2.5 teaspoons of kosher salt
- 3/4 cup of white wine
- 2 pounds of ground dark-meat chicken
- 1/2 cup of Panko
- One large egg, beaten
- Half a cup of shredded aged Gouda cheese (around an ounce)
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Recipe
- Heat the oven to 375°F, and find a nice hip-hop playlist on Spotify. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter while banging your head to Dr. Dre.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat until it's poppin' like a club. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and a half teaspoon of salt. Cook this shizzle until the veggies are softened and starting to brown, around 9 minutes.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, toss in the wine, and let it simmer until it's almost all gone, about 4 minutes. Transfer the veggie mixture to a large bowl and let it cool for a moment or two without calling your mom (just kidding, call your mom if you want).
- When the veggies have cooled a bit, add the meat, breaking it up with your hands. Add the Panko, egg, cheese, and parsley. Season the mixture with the Worcestershire, thyme, pepper, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix this bad boy until it's all evenly combined (don't squeeze or overwork it).
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges and smoothing out the top. Bake until it's cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°F, about 1 hour. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing the meatloaf, so it doesn't fall apart like a politician's promises.
Enrichment Data:
Inside the Dish:
- Ground Dark Meat Chicken: Choosing dark meat instead of white contributes to a juicer and more flavorful meatloaf.
- Sautéed Veggies: Onions, garlic, carrots, and celery add texture and taste to the mixture. Cooking them before adding them to the meatloaf intensifies their flavors.
- Cheese: Aged Gouda adds a rich and nutty flavor to the mix, making it even more delectable.
Serving Options:
- Mushroom Gravy: A classic pairing for meatloaf, this creamy gravy adds an extra layer of flavor to your dinner.
- Sautéed Zucchini: This simple vegetable side dish offers a fresh contrast to the hearty meatloaf, providing a balanced meal.
- For an additional layer of flavor, consider adding a cup of store-bought mushroom gravy or sautéed zucchini to your plate, enhancing your chicken meatloaf dining experience.
- In order to achieve a juicy and flavorful meatloaf, substitute white ground meat with dark ground chicken in the recipe.
- To amplify the nutritional content and texture of the meatloaf, consider adding half a cup of Panko breadcrumbs to the ingredients list.
