I’ve never really been a big fan of meatloaf.
Probably because I didn’t care much for the way it was being served…
Or maybe it was because I’ve always associated meatloaf with ketchup and, well, call me weird, but I never liked ketchup. In fact, if you ever came to my house for supper and really wanted to insult me (and those who know me know NOT to do that) simply ask me if I have any ketchup to go with your meal.
So anyway, by the time I finally learned to make my own meatloaf and started to actually enjoy it, I also happened to make a few several major changes in my life and pretty much gave up on eating beef, ESPECIALLY ground beef.
When I got a major craving for meatloaf the other day, I figured I had to find a way to make it happen. Of course, I could’ve ground my own beef, but for some reason, it just didn’t sound right to me.
Beef was not what I was after.
I guess I was left with no other alternative than to use chicken…
Chicken meatloaf… why not?
I know, I know, I haven’t invented anything here, but it would never have occurred to me before. To me, meatloaf had to be made with either beef or pork.
But really, using chicken turned out to be a very good decision. I don’t think I’d ever had meatloaf that good before. And I guess I must’ve been inspired by the fact that Christmas was just around the corner when I selected my spices and seasonings, because let me tell you, this one would fit right in at the Christmas table.
If you are looking for an alternative to the traditional roasted turkey, this could be it right here.
I would certainly consider it… but I’m not sure the kids would agree, though.
For some people, there are certain traditions are better left untouched, you know… 
MINI CHICKEN MEATLOAVES
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 6-8)
- 750g chicken breast
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup dried parsley
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp unpasteurized honey
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp four spice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 whole eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Coat 4 mini loaf pans with cooking spray, or brush lightly with olive oil. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1″ cubes and transfer to your food processor. Using the pulse setting, process the meat until it’s completely ground.
- Transfer the ground chicken meat to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly until very well combined.
- Divide that chicken mixture between your reserved loaf pans and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the top is nice and golden brown. Note that if you choose to do a single loaf instead, it might require a little longer cooking time.
- Remove meat loaves from oven and set to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pans.
- Slice each loaf into 6-8 slices and serve immediately.
Mmm. These look great. I will definitely try your recipe. I’ve done something similar (with beef) in muffin tins. Only takes about 20 min to bake the little meatloaves.
Joanna
Ooooh, love the idea of using muffin tins. I will keep that in mind!
These look tasty! I love your use of mini loaves, I think it makes them look pretty classy when sliced and served. More so than a regular big piece would. Definitely elevates a meatloaf recipe for the holidays. And amazing job at pureeing everything yourself! Why buy anything ground anymore?
The thing is, the ground chicken that you buy at the butcher’s or grocery store contains a lot of fat, because they usually throw in the dark meat and some of the skin. By making my own, I can be certain that only the lean, white meat will go into it. Lot better for my health, and I prefer the taste of white meat. So it’s a win-win.
Glad you like the looks of my little loaves. I totally agree, it does make them look classier than the regular, more standard, king size thing. And you probably end up eating less, because you get more slices!
Yes, I totally agree on the lower fat content. The reasons you mentioned are definitely why I avoid buy ground meat–any kind. This would do the trick! Great job.
I wouldn’t mind trying that since I never make meatloaf and am not a big fan of ground beef
Yum yum! I love chicken and/or turkey meatloaf!!! Love the addition of cranberries
these look delicious!
I made this last night (did it all in one big loaf pan and cooked for about 50 minutes). It was absolutely delicious and super moist!
So glad to hear, Sarah! Thanks a million for the great feedback and cooking directions for a single loaf. So happy the recipe worked out for you!
I just made this last night and it was amazing! I didn’t have all the ingredients, so made a few minor modifications:
- dry parsley -> fresh parsley
- 4-spize -> 7-spice
I also didn’t have mini loaf pans, so I used creme brulee pans and as a result had individual serving size cakes
The result was absolutely amazing. I can’t believe that something that tastes this good can actually be “good for you”. I served the meatloaves with “Best Carrot Salad Ever” – yum!
Keep blogging Sonia – you’re amazing!
WOW, thank you so much Aleks, you soooo made my day just there! I truly, truly appreciate!
And I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe. The creme brulee pans are a very good idea! I like the idea of cake shaped meatloaf, especially if it tastes like Christmas. I might have to revisit this one now… make them round and serve with a cranberry / goat cheese sauce on top! Hey, thanks for inspiring me!
Hey, hope you liked the carrot salad!
And thanks again so much for your amazing feedback! 
I still love this recipe. I’ve probably made it about a dozen times at this point, and just had it again for dinner tonight, YUM! I paired it with a simple baby green salad topped with goat cheese and red onions broiled with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt. Amazing!
A dozen times? Oh my! Wow! I am flattered to hear that one of my recipes turned into such a regular for you! Bet you don’t even need the recipe anymore!
Thanks for letting me know, Aleks, that definitely made my day! 
Another fantastic recipe! This was a massive hit with my husband too, which is a bonus as I have to kind of ‘smuggle’ healthy food past him! Absolutely delicious. I reduced the amount of cranberries slightly (since I couldn’t find unsweetened ones) and I chopped them quite small and I added a few raw, unsalted chopped pistachios which worked really well. I didn’t have ant four spice but I added a pinch of herbs and then a very thin layer of mustard smeared on top (mixed with the teensiest bit of organic non gmo tomato puree – not ketchup!) before cooking and it was SO delicious. Thank you!
YAY! That’s fantastic! I love it when healthy food passes the “don’t feed me no bird food” kind of test! Usually, when boyfriends or husbands or kids approve, it means it’s good, as in it tastes great! Good to know this one passed the test! Thank you so much for sharing your impressions and providing such great feedback, too! I truly, sincerely appreciate your taking the time to do that!
This is the perfect answer to this year’s Thanksgiving dilemma…Not enough people around to “do the bird”…but I could sub turkey into this marvelous loaf..with a bit of sage…and it would almost become a “stuffing/turkey” combo..elegant to boot! Thank you for including this in your Top 10 Main Dish compilation!! I bookmarked the entire list!