This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Make these sheet pan BBQ meatballs and veggies as the ultimate midweek all-in-one meal. This recipe delivers juicy (never dry or dense) chicken meatballs that are loaded with flavor and come with a healthy side of veggies. The meatballs stay moist thanks to the tasty BBQ basting. Whip this dish up in under an hour and enjoy the leftovers the next day. This recipe for sheet pan meatballs and veggies will soon become a staple in your meal rotation.
Here’s a hearty and tasty sheet pan BBQ meatballs recipe that gives your moist, tender chicken meatballs together with earthy veggies all in one sheet pan.
For other tasty sheet pan recipes, try this Mediterranean cod dinner, a baked shrimp and sausage meal, or this one-pan chicken caprese.
Why You’ll Love It
Under an hour: Like most sheet pan meals, this is a great midweek recipe that can be prepared and in and out of the oven in 50 minutes. This is why we love meatball recipes!
Cost-effective: Ground chicken meat mixture is cheaper than chicken breast. It’s one of those versatile proteins that are also budget-friendly.
A break from chicken nuggets: Kids will love these meatballs, which are different from the usual chicken nuggets routine. Sheet pan dinners don’t have to be repetitive.
Freezer prep perfect: Double up and make two sheet pans of these meatballs and freeze them for a day when you don’t feel like cooking.
Ingredients for Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Zucchini and yellow squash: Choose firm zucchini with zero signs of wilting.
Frozen corn: Using frozen corn is convenient, and it maintains its sweetness and juiciness when roasted.
Grape tomatoes: These add color and sweetness to the dish. Halving them allows for even roasting and helps them release their juices.
Garlic powder, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper: These seasonings enhance the natural flavors of the vegetables.
Lime juice: Adds a zesty brightness that balances the sweetness of the corn and tomatoes.
Feta and fresh basil ribbons: These garnishes add the yummiest creamy, herby, salty contrast.
Ground chicken: A lean protein option that absorbs the flavors of the spices and BBQ sauce well.
Panko bread crumbs: Light and crispy, they help bind the meatballs and keep them from being too dense.
Red onion: Adds a slightly sweet and sharp flavor. Finely dicing ensures it integrates well into the meatballs.
BBQ sauce: Divided use ensures the meatballs stay moist and have a rich, tangy glaze. I’m using store-bought BBQ sauce for this recipe – use your favorite.
How to Make Sheet Pan Barbeque Meatballs
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F.
Prepare the vegetables: Place the sliced zucchini, squash, corn, and halved tomatoes on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and lime juice. Roast the veggies in the oven for 15 minutes.
Make the meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, mix together ground chicken, panko, diced red onion, egg, ¼ cup BBQ sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Use a cookie scoop to form the mixture into balls, about 1½ to 2 tablespoons each.
Adjust the vegetables and add meatballs: Take the sheet pan out of the oven. Push the vegetables to one side or spread them evenly across the pan. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Place the meatballs on the empty side of the pan or on top of the vegetables.
Bake and baste: Bake at 425°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Brush the meatballs with the remaining ¼ cup of BBQ sauce every 5 minutes.
Finish and serve: Garnish with crumbled feta and chopped basil before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Ground chicken swap: Try ground turkey, pork, or ground beef instead of chicken.
Spicy version: Give them a kick with red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or spicy BBQ sauce. You could also mix chopped jalapeños into the chicken meatballs mix.
Panko breadcrumbs: Use regular bread crumbs, crushed crackers, or a gluten-free alternative.
Vegetable and herb subs: Add or substitute other vegetables, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, or sweet potatoes, to the sheet pan. Use other herbs like fresh parsley or thyme in the mixture, or swap the garlic powder for fresh garlic.
Cheese-stuffed sheet pan meatballs: Place a small cube of cheese in the center of each meatball for a gooey surprise.
Vegan option: To make the dish entirely plant-based, use a plant-based ground meat substitute, a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water), and a vegan BBQ sauce. Replace feta with a vegan cheese alternative.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: For a bit of fun, start with these pot stickers! Cute little turkey sliders will go down a treat ahead of your sheet pan dinner.
Main: Serve your sheet pan barbecue meatballs as an all-in-one recipe or with a side of fluffy white or brown rice. It’s also great to serve meatballs with a slide of broccoli slaw, steamed green beans, crusty bread, cornbread, mac and cheese and a little applesauce!
Dessert: Make brownie batter dip and let your kiddo lick the bowl clean (core memory unlocked!) Other fun treats to end off with are these cornflake cakes (crunching for days) or this recipe for nostalgic pie iron pineapple cakes.
How to Store BBQ Chicken Meatballs & Veggies
Store: Leftover baked meatballs will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Allow the meatballs and vegetables to cool completely. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Place the frozen meatballs and vegetables in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Alternatively, use the defrost setting on your microwave.
Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the thawed meatballs and vegetables on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until heated. Reheating these baked BBQ meatballs in the microwave in a covered dish also works well.
Top Tips
Read internal temperature for doneness: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs. To ensure proper cooking, I recommend buying an instant-read meat thermometer.
Uniform sizes: Make sure meatballs are roughly equal in size to guarantee even cooking. A cookie scoop helps achieve consistent portions.
Don’t overcrowd: Give the meatballs and vegetables enough space on the sheet pan to roast properly. Overcrowding can cause them to steam instead of roast, affecting texture.
Rest before serving: Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps them retain their juices and stay moist.
Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs FAQs
Don’t overmix the meatball mixture. Also, basting the meatballs with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes during baking helps keep them moist and flavorful. Also, avoid overbaking.
Absolutely! Fresh or canned corn can be used in place of frozen corn. Ensure the fresh corn is cooked before adding it to the sheet pan.
Regular breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or a gluten-free bread crumb alternative work well as substitutes for panko.
Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs Recipe
Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Zucchini and Corn:
- 2 zucchini, medium, ends removed and sliced
- 1 yellow squash, medium, ends removed and sliced
- 2 Cups frozen corn
- 10 Ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ Teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 4 Ounces feta cheese, crumbled, for garnish
- 2 Tablespoons basil, fresh, cut in ribbons, for garnish
For the BBQ Meatballs:
- 1 Pound ground chicken
- ½ Cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 red onion, medium. finely diced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ Cup BBQ sauce
- ½ Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place zucchini, squash, corn, and tomatoes on a large-rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice.
- Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- Combine the chicken, panko, red onion, egg, ¼ Cup BBQ sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop, roll the mixture into 1½ or 2 Tablespoon balls.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven and use a spatula to push the vegetables to one side, or spread out across the entire sheet pan. Set the oven temperature to 425°F.
- Place meatballs on the other side of the sheet pan, or on top of the vegetables.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Baste the meatballs with the remaining BBQ sauce every 5 minutes.
- Garnish with crumbled feta and chopped basil and serve.
Notes
Uniform sizes: Make sure meatballs are roughly equal in size to guarantee even cooking. A cookie scoop helps achieve consistent portions.
Don’t overcrowd: Give the meatballs and vegetables enough space on the sheet pan to roast properly. Overcrowding can cause them to steam instead of roast, affecting texture.
Rest before serving: Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps them retain their juices and stay moist.
Nutrition
This sheet pan meatballs and veggies recipe will definitely becomes a regular meal plan favorite. This kid-friendly recipe can be used as a base recipe and adjusted to the flavorings you have at home. Make a double batch and whip leftovers out of the freezer for a “don’t wanna cook” night at home.
Other Sheet Pan Recipes To Try
- Whip up sheet pan sausages with peppers as another easy-going sheet pan recipe. This recipe is super simple and requires very little prep work.
- This recipe for sheet pan honey garlic pork chops gives you juicy, meltingly tender pork chops.
- What about a sizzling pan of sheet pan crab legs as a treat for the seafood lovers.
- Garlic parmesan carrots make a pretty side that everyone’s going to love.
- How about a tasty tray of eggs benedict in a sheet pan – how easy does that sound?
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Wow, this recipe is incredible! Trying it was the best decision; it’s definitely my new favorite.