These 3-Ingredient Meatballs Are the Easiest You’ll Ever Make

“These taste like Thanksgiving!” is how my husband reacted when he tried these for the first time, a delighted expression on his face. They’re the easiest meatballs I’ve ever made and the most well-loved by my whole household.

The combination of tender ground chicken, a generous amount of butter, and the secret ingredient—a box of stuffing mix—results in soft, flavorful, and moist meatballs. For very little effort, you get a meaty main dish and a starchy side all in one!

It’s so simple to whip up a batch of these tasty little meatballs. Just stir a box of stuffing mix into boiling water and melted butter, let it cool down, then mix in the ground meat. I use a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop to make short work of shaping the meatballs—there’s no need to roll them in your hands. A quick cook in the air fryer or the oven and they’re done!

You can use any variety of stuffing mix you like as long as it comes in a six-ounce package. I like to pair chicken-flavored stuffing with ground chicken, turkey-flavored with ground turkey, or herb-flavored with either one.

Recipe Variations

There are lots of ways to punch up and vary the flavors of this meatball recipe. Here are a few of my favorites: 

• Lemon and Oregano: For a Greek-inspired flavor profile, add a teaspoon of dried oregano and the juice and zest of a lemon to the meatball mixture.
• Italian Herb: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the meatball mixture. Serve with store-bought marinara sauce.
• BBQ Cheddar: Add one cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the meatball mixture. Serve with store-bought barbecue sauce. This variation is especially good with Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing Mix. 

How To Serve These Meatballs

In my house, some variety of green vegetable always rounds out the meal. We like to have our meatballs with buttered peas or mixed vegetables, roasted brussels sprouts, or steamed broccoli on the side. You can also continue the Thanksgiving theme and serve them with gravy and cranberry sauce.

Using an Air Fryer

To cook the meatballs in an air fryer, preheat it to 400°F. If you’re using a toaster oven-style air fryer, line its baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the meatballs on the parchment-lined baking sheet or directly into the air fryer basket. Air fry the meatballs until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes.