30-minute Chicken Shawarma Meatballs (gluten-free)

These 30-minute Chicken Shawarma Meatballs are one of the most flavorful, easy and quick meatball recipes to make. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and great as a main course or even as an appetizer.

I love making meatballs. There are lots of meatball recipes here on my website. We make them often because I love how versatile they are. They’re easy to make and they’re a meal prep DREAM. They last in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 2 months making them a go-to for food prep.

These chicken shawarma meatballs are going to be on of your new go-to recipes. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free and can be served as a main or as an appetizer if you want. These are packed with protein, flavor and any skill level can make them.

The meatballs cook with some peppers and onions and you can add some more veggies to the pan too if you want to roast more at the same time. Add some zucchini or even potatoes if you wanted to make this an all around sheet pan meal.

My kids rarely fight me on a meatballs dinner too. Making me love them even more. You can add in any veggies or flavors you want to these meatballs too. So if wanted to chopped up some spinach to add into the meat, go for it. I do think the spice ratio here is on point. You’ll taste how flavorful these shawarma meatballs are once you make them. 

These chicken shawarma meatballs are healthy, flavorful and great way to switch things up tonight for dinner. I cannot wait to hear what you think. Let me know when you try them.

What ingredients you need for these shawarma meatballs:

• Ground chicken – ground chicken is best but you can also use ground turkey, beef lamb or pork if you wanted to switch things up!
• Almond flour – or sub breadcrumbs if you prefer. I do love the almond flour as a gluten free-friendly option!
• Garlic cloves – freshly minced garlic cloves are best for this recipe but if you want to omit you can
• Egg – I haven’t tried an egg substitute here
• White onion – I love using white sweet onion in these meatballs
• Cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder
• Red bell pepper – thinly sliced. You can use orange or yellow bell pepper if you prefer too
• Red onion – I love roasting this all together with the meatballs and peppers!

How to make these gluten-free Chicken Shawarma meatballs:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a large baking sheet
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, flour, garlic, egg, onion and spices together
3. Using clean hands or meat handling gloves, form into meatballs and add to baking sheet
4. Add the bell pepper and onion to baking sheet too then drizzle olive oil on top
5. Bake in oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked and reach 165 degrees F
6. Remove from oven and enjoy with desired sides like rice, tahini sauce, tzatziki, hummus, etc.

FAQs and tips on making these chicken shawarma meatballs:

• Can I use another meat or just chicken? You can use ground turkey, lamb, beef or even pork if you want too.
• If you want to prep these ahead of time, go for it! You can always roll the meatballs ahead of time and store in fridge for up to 24 hours before baking in oven.
• I love doing a Mediterranean-inspired bowl with these meatballs. Something with some tzatziki, tahini sauce, rice, some cucumbers, etc. Some pita bread is really good with these too! 
• Can I store these in the freezer? Absolutely! Store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• What is the best way to reheat the meatballs? In microwave or over a greased skillet on low heat.
• Are these shawarma meatballs okay for kids? Absolutely! They’re not spicy at all. I highly recommend them for a family meal! My 1 year old *loves* these.

A few other meatball recipes to try soon:

Delish Broccoli Cheddar Meatballs (gluten-free)

Marry Me Chicken Meatballs (gluten-free)

Oven-Baked General Tso’s Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs with Feta and Spinach (gluten-free)