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Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs

Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken meatballs is a healthier lite dish that can be made in under 30 minutes. It has an Italian flair that pasta lovers will adore.

Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs post is sponsored by Baker’s. This recipe and opinions are 100% my own.
A white bowl of spiralized zucchini topped with chicken meatballs and marinara.

I have to fess up. I’m always telling you about my attempts to get John to try vegetables and whole grain foods outside of his comfort zone.

The truth is I’ve really been dragging my own feet when it comes to zucchini noodles. That is until I made Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs.

A white bowl of spiralized zucchini topped with chicken meatballs and marinara and garnished with parmesan. A second dish sits in the background.

I just love fresh produce and am panicking that it will not be around long enough for me to get my fill. So when I went to my Baker’s Supermarket I headed for the produce department.

I’ve been making a zucchini and yellow squash dish for several years and went over to the squash section. I decided to challenge myself and give zucchini noodles a try.

Top view of a white bowl of spiralized zucchini topped with chicken meatballs and marinara. Forks and another dish sit in the background.

John had chicken meatballs at one of our favorite restaurants a long time ago. It was always my intention to try and recreate them but I just never got around to it.

So I thought they could be a healthy addition to my zucchini noodles.[Tweet “Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs #ad @BakersGrocery”]

 A white bowl of spiralized zucchini topped with chicken meatballs and marinara. A second dish and forks sit in the background.

Never having made zucchini noodles, I read that they are 75% water and can overcook very easily. You can microwave them, boil them for one minute, or eat them raw. I decided I would let my hot sauce warm them up and not to cook them at all.

I also decided to use my julienne peeler to make my noodles. Spiralizers are all the rage right now but I have so many kitchen toys that I don’t use enough to justify having them. Plus I didn’t want to make a recipe that required special equipment.

A white bowl of spiralized zucchini topped with chicken meatballs and marinara and garnished with parmesan. A second dish sits in the background.

The julienne peeler worked great. I just cut off the ends and ran it down the side of my zucchini and then pulled them apart.

I stopped when I got to the seeds. You may not, but I found that they tended to break once I got to the seeds.

 A wooden board topped with sliced zucchini and julienned strips next to the Julien tool.

My sauce was very quick and simple to make as were the meatballs. This entire meal took me less than 30 minutes to get on the table. Best of all, it was just delicious and I got over my reluctance to try zucchini noodles! Bring on the Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs!

Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs

Author: Hostess At Heart
Zucchini noodles with Chicken meatballs is a delicious and lite dish that can be made in under 30 minutes. It has an Italian flair that pasta lovers will adore.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword: Chicken Meatballs, Zucchini Noodles
Servings: 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 Kroger® Italian Style bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 ground black pepper pinch
  • 1 medium zucchini per person
  • 14 oz can Simple Truth Organic Diced Tomatoes in tomato sauce
  • 1 or 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons red wine optional
  • Italian parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
  • Roll chicken mixture into 1-1/2″ meatballs and put on prepared pan. (I used a 1-1/2 Tbl scoop)
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the register an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • While meatballs bake, add can of diced tomatoes to a 9 to 10 inch sauce pan. Add garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, wine and garlic. Allow to cook until most of the liquid has cooked off. About 10 minutes.
  • Prepare zucchini by chopping both ends off. Run a julienned peeler down squarely each side. Pull apart strands.
  • To assemble, put zucchini noodles on a plate or pasta dish. Top with meatballs and sauce. Garnish with parmesan cheese and additional parsley.

Notes

Zucchini noodles can be stored in a paper towel and plastic bag for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 4gCalories: 186kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 21gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 376mgPotassium: 617mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 78IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

Other recipes that will be delicious with zucchini noodles is White Cheddar Meatballs and Crockpot Mexican Meatballs In Chipotle Sauce

It’s always fun to share so let’s head over to Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays!

I purchased all of my ingredients (and more) at Bakers Supermarket. I would like to thank the Kroger Co. for supporting this post and Hostess At Heart.

Two photo collage of two views of a white dish of julienned zucchini topped with chicken meatballs, marinara and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The banner \"Julienned Zucchini Noodles in Chicken Meatballs\" runs through the center.
Recipe Rating




Sally T

Saturday 30th of May 2020

We're trying to eat healthier. Anytime I can add more vegetables are a bonus.

White Cheddar Meatballs | Hostess At Heart

Sunday 6th of November 2016

[…] Julienned Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Meatballs | Hostess At Heart says: September 22, 2016 at 8:46 am […]

pattisj

Tuesday 27th of September 2016

Thanks for the tip about the zucchini noodle cooking.

Julie Menghini

Wednesday 28th of September 2016

I'm glad that I came across that tip too Patti! We wanted a warm noodle but not a mushy one. We ended up microwaving them for 30 seconds before topping them.

Alida @My Little Italian Kitchen

Monday 26th of September 2016

This is super recipe! Beautifully prepared and very well photographed too. I love the zucchini prepared that way. Brava!

judigraber

Monday 26th of September 2016

I have two spiralizers, manual and electric.and also the gadget you used. Mine is different - a Japanese version. I hate to see when I have to downsize (next year probably). Your recipe looks delicious - I am a big meatball fan :)

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 27th of September 2016

Judi, my gadgets are what keeps me in my house! I can't imagine downsizing.

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