How Long to Bake 2lb Ground Chicken in Oven

Chicken meatloaf is healthier than traditional meatloaf but still packs big flavors in each tender bite. If you have a pantry full of seasoning and some ground chicken lying around you are ready to bake up a new family favorite! Best of all, this comfort food is easy on the calories, so you can feel good about enjoying each savory bite.

What is it?

Chicken meatloaf is prepared much in the same way as classic beef meatloaf recipes, ground meat is combined with breadcrumbs and seasonings and then baked in the oven until done. The obvious difference is the primary protein is chicken rather than beef.

I tried a variety of glazes and toppings for this meatloaf, but ultimately, my favorite was the same glaze I use in my classic meatloaf recipe. It is delectably sweet and tangy, and perfect for painting on any meatloaf!

In hindsight, I think using a gravy-like sauce such I created for my cocktail meatballs, would have tasted phenomenal as well, had I thought to test it. Perhaps, with a handful of herbs tossed in as well... just an idea to spur your own creativity!

Ingredients You'll Need

• Ground Chicken - This easy recipe will work with other poultry, such as ground turkey, as well. Otherwise, you can also pulse boneless chicken breasts in a food processor as well to create ground chicken breast, but that will be drier due to the lack of fat.
• Breadcrumbs - I recommend plain bread crumbs, but panko breadcrumbs can be substituted.
• Milk
• Eggs
• Onion - A yellow onion is best.
• Shredded Parmesan cheese
• Fresh Parsley
• Tomato Paste - I prefer Paste over tomato sauce because it has more flavor and less liquid.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Seasonings: Table Salt, Garlic Powder, ground Sage, and ground Black Pepper
• Meatloaf Glaze - Ketchup, Brown Sugar, Worcestershire Sauce

Is Chicken Meatloaf Healthy

Chicken meatloaf is healthier than traditional meatloaf because ground chicken is exceptionally lean. Ground chicken has roughly half the calories as the same-sized portion of 80/20 ground beef. This delicious dinner tastes great and is better for you!

How to Prevent Chicken Meatloaf from Being Dry

The biggest concern when making a meatloaf with lean meat is how to prevent it from being too dry. Fat adds a lot of calories, but it also adds moisture and flavor.

Since the ground chicken doesn't contain much fat, the moisture in this meatloaf comes from the breadcrumbs soaking up the milk, as well as the shredded Parmesan cheese which will melt into the meatloaf.

How to make it

Prepare the meatloaf mixture by crumbling ground meat into a large bowl. Separately combine the dry ingredients then sprinkle them on the chicken. Then add the wet ingredients with the ground chicken mixture and combine everything together.

Note: Combining them separately helps ensure more even distribution of the seasonings.

Next, prepare the meatloaf glaze. Combine ketchup with brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and mix together in a small bowl. Add a couple of tablespoons of glaze to the bottom of your bread pan, then place the meat mixture on top and form it into a loaf.

Tip: It is easiest to form the chicken loaf in a bread pan, but you can use a rimmed baking sheet as well. Whichever you use I recommend lining it with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

How Long to Bake Chicken Meatloaf

It is particularly important to bake chicken meatloaf long enough, since you don't want to serve your family uncooked chicken. The internal temperature of the meatloaf needs to reach 165 degrees, which will take approximately 90 minutes at 350 degrees.

It is important to note, the cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your meatloaf, so I always recommend using a digital meat thermometer to monitor your progress.

Tip: Let your meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven. Not only does this allow it to cool slightly, it also allows the juices to settle inside the meatloaf.

How to store & reheat leftovers

Meatloaf leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, or wrapped in plastic wrap. It is best to reheat each slice of leftover meatloaf individually. You can do this in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Best of all, a slice of meatloaf makes a great meatloaf sandwich!

What to serve with it

• Fresh vegetables such as snap peas.
• Roasted broccoli and cauliflower
• Sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts
• French Onion Mashed potatoes

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• ▢ 2 lbs Ground Chicken
• ▢ 1 cup Breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 cup Milk
• ▢ 2 Eggs (beaten)
• ▢ ½ cup grated Onion
• ▢ ½ cup shredded Parmesan
• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped Parsley
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoons Table Salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground Sage
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Meatloaf Glaze

• ▢ ½ cup Ketchup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Gently crumble chicken into a large bowl. In a separate dish, combine all dry ingredients and mix together, then sprinkle over ground chicken.  Add remaining wet ingredients to the meatloaf mix and thoroughly combine.

• In a separate dish, prepare the meatloaf glaze by mixing ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together.

• Add a couple of tablespoons of glaze to the bottom of a bread pan and add the chicken meatloaf mixture into the pan and form into a loaf. Paint the chicken meatloaf with the remaining glaze.

• Bake in the oven uncovered for 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees with a digital meat thermometer.

• Remove from the oven, let the meatloaf rest 5-10 minutes, slice and serve.

Calories: 416 kcal | Carbohydrates: 26 g | Protein: 35 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 195 mg | Sodium: 1153 mg | Potassium: 1071 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 12 g | Vitamin A: 400 IU | Vitamin C: 2.7 mg | Calcium: 203 mg | Iron: 3 mg

How Long to Bake 2lb Ground Chicken in Oven

Source: https://www.foxvalleyfoodie.com/chicken-meatloaf/

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