Chicken Meatloaf

This chicken meatloaf is tender, moist, and well-seasoned. Parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce add umami flavor and it's topped with a sweet ketchup glaze.

Sliced Chicken Meatloaf with ketchup sauce on a white platter
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
50 mins
Additional Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
6

Oftentimes, the secret to meatloaf is in its moisture. That’s the case with this recipe too, which uses chicken instead of beef. But bread crumbs, which capture the flavors of what it is cooked in, will be a key ingredient that keeps meatloaf moist.

This recipe uses panko for traditional breadcrumbs, which is combined with your chicken, Parmesan, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and seasonings. Overworking the mixture will bind the meat proteins and make them rubbery and dense, so just mix until everything is combined.

“This meatloaf does not have a panade and is not bound with eggs as you would see in many meatloaves,” says recipe developer Craig Ruff. “Ground chicken is often quite lean and needs extra fat to make a great meatloaf. Adding mayo adds both the fat and the egg for binding.”

If you want your meatloaf to come out with the most flavor, use ground chicken made from a combination of white and dark meat, or ideally the fattiest ground chicken you can find. 

Before it goes in the oven, the meatloaf is topped with a sweet yet tangy sauce made from ketchup, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Barbecue sauce is a great alternative if you are considering a substitution. If you want to switch up the seasoning, Cajun seasoning or poultry seasoning are great ideas, and a serving of mashed potatoes or roasted veggies is a perfect way to round out this meal.

Editorial contributions by Keaton Larson

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • cooking spray

  • 1 pound ground chicken (white and dark meat)

  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

  • ½ cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 cup ketchup

  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Chicken Meatloaf ingredients in glass bowls

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray an 8-x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

  3.   
    Stir together chicken, onion, panko, Parmesan cheese, parsley, mayonnaise, garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a large bowl until just combined. Do not overmix.

    Chicken Meatloaf ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl with a spatula

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Transfer mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Stir together ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar in a small bowl until combined. Evenly spread ketchup mixture over the top of the meatloaf.

    Hand using spatula to top raw Chicken Meatloaf with ketchup sauce in a loaf pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest portion of meatloaf reads 165 degrees F (73 degrees C), 50 to 55 minutes. Remove loaf from oven, and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

    Baked Chicken Meatloaf in a loaf pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

287 Calories
17g Fat
14g Carbs
21g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 287
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 88mg 29%
Sodium 675mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 21g 41%
Vitamin C 6mg 6%
Calcium 76mg 6%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 639mg 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.