This chicken loaf recipe is a fun spin on traditional ground beef meatloaf. A healthy and comforting meal that’s 100% kid-friendly!
Meatloafs are so easy to prepare. It’s no wonder busy parents have been leaning on them for decades to get a wholesome meal on the table in a flash. They’re versatile too, and can be made with whatever meat you have on hand- such as turkey or beef. Growing up in Ukraine, my family referred to this dish as a “meat roulette” and served it hot with tasty sides or cold as an appetizer. Whichever way you decide to dig in, I’m positive you’re going to just love it!
Assembling a Chicken Loaf from Scratch
Here are the steps to making this tender chicken loaf.
- Make the Meat Mixture: Next, use your hands to combine the ground chicken, milk, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, eggs, and grated onion in a large bowl. Season the mixture generously with salt and black pepper.
- Bake the Chicken Loaf: Grease a loaf pan with oil and press the meatloaf mixture into the pan. Spread a thin layer of ketchup on top for a nice glaze. Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Handy Tips for an Amazing Chicken Loaf
Making chicken meatloaf is super similar to making traditional meatloaf. To help you nail it, check out a few handy tips below.
- Use ground chicken made with breasts and thighs. Opt for a ground chicken that’s made with both light and dark meat for extra moist chicken loaf.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Take the guesswork out of gauging the doneness of the meatloaf by checking it has reached 165F with an instant read meat thermometer.
- Let the meatloaf rest before you unmold it. Give the chicken loaf about 10 minutes to rest and develop its juices before you take it out of the loaf pan and slice into it with a knife.
Ideas for Serving Chicken Loaf
For a traditional all-American dinner, serve the chicken loaf alongside creamy mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, buttery garlic green beans, and french bread smeared with butter. Or, serve the loaf as a classic Slavic appetizer sliced cold and alongside your favorite cheeses.
Storing, Freezing, & Reheating Chicken Loaf
Chicken loaf is perfect for meal prep and make ahead dinners. Below, find all the tips you need to store, freeze, and reheat it.
- Refrigerator: To keep the chicken loaf on hand for up to a week, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This will prevent it from drying out quicker.
- Freezer: If you’d like to have chicken loaf on hand for up to 1 month, allow it to cool completely in the loaf pan. Next, remove it from the pan and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and pop it in a freezer bag. To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight.
Reheating Tip: To reheat chicken loaf, pop it back into the oven until warmed through and lightly golden brown on top.
FAQ
What are some other good sauces to bake on top of chicken loaf?
Ketchup with garlic and some brown sugar would be a good combo or even BBQ sauce.
What kind of bread should you use?
Soft white bread works best. If you want an earthier texture, use whole wheat bread.
Can you use a different kind of ground meat?
Ground chicken works best for this recipe, but feel free to cut it with half ground beef or ground turkey.
How do you make your own ground chicken?
Easily make your own ground chicken by popping raw chicken thighs and breasts in a blender or meat grinder.
More Tasty Chicken Recipes
- Classic Russian Kotleti (Meatballs) – Ground chicken patties
- Chicken and Cheese Kotleti (Chicken Patties) – Ground chicken and cheese patties
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken – Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon and seasoned with a sweet and smokey spice blend
- Baked Chicken Tenders – Crispy tenders made with easy ingredients
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan – “Fried” chicken with tomato sauce and cheese
- Chicken & Asparagus Recipe – One-pan chicken stir fry
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground chicken
- 1 large onion grated
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
Instructions
- Combine the meat with milk, breadcrumbs, eggs, and grated onion.
- Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray and press the meat mixture into the pan. Apply a layer of ketchup on top.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F.
I was looking for a recipe for chicken loaf cooked in a loaf pan as chicken loaf cooked without a pan tends to spread. I would suggest you include the size of the loaf pan because my pan was completely filled. While the amount of bread crumbs and milk made the loaf moist, it also seemed to dilute the flavor and my family found this to be quite bland.
Hi Steve, thank you for reaching out and for those tips. I agree with you about including the pan size. I used this one https://amzn.to/3Ji0cYT I appreciate your feedback!
This was so delicious! I love that it was not dry at all and was so full of flavor. The leftovers made for a great sandwich the next day.
Oh this is such a great idea, Wilhelmina! Using it in a sandwich, love that.
This is my go-to chicken meatloaf recipe! We used to make it with beef but your chicken meatloaf makes a way better meatloaf! SO GOOD!
Thanks so much, Valentina! Glad ya'll enjoyed it!
What a tasty spin on classic meatloaf! My entire family scarfed this meal down...definitely adding it to our regular rotation!
So glad to hear your family loved it, Samantha!
If you were to coat it with something what sauce would it be?
Hey, Ketchup with garlic and some brown sugar would be a good combo or even BBQ sauce.
Looks delicious. How much bread should be added to soak in the milk?
It should be about 1 cup of bread.
Thanks!
where do u put the mayo?
Together with the meat and bread crumbs.
How do u feel about making it with ground beef?
It may be a little too dry. You can add beef in combination with chicken or pork.
Ok thanks!