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Chicken Swedish Meatballs with Dill delight

Chicken Swedish Meatballs with Dill Delight

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Swedish
Servings 4 hearty portions

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls (1 large for meatballs, 1 small for sauce ingredients)
  • Grater or microplane (for onion)
  • Large sauté pan or skillet (with a lid or large enough to hold sauce and meatballs)
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Plate lined with paper towel (for draining meatballs, optional)
  • For a slower method: Crock pot or slow cooker (ideal for crock pot swedish meatballs or slow cooker swedish meatballs variations)
  • Whisk (for sauce)

Ingredients
  

For the meatballs

  • 1  lb 450 g ground chicken (preferably a mix of breast and thigh for flavor)
  • ½  cup plain breadcrumbs or panko
  • ¼  cup whole milk
  • 1 small onion finely grated
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 2  tbsp fresh dill finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  • ½  tsp salt
  • ¼  tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg optional, enhances warmth
  • 2  tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil for browning

For the creamy dill sauce

  • 2  tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2  tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1½  cups chicken broth low sodium
  • ¾  cup heavy cream or half‑and‑half
  • 1  tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1  tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1  tsp fresh lemon juice brightens flavor
  • 2 –3 tbsp fresh dill chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Optional for serving

  • Egg noodles or mashed potatoes
  • Steamed green beans or roasted root vegetables
  • Extra dill sprigs for garnish

Instructions
 

Prepare the meatball mixture

  1. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk; let soak for 5 minutes to soften.
  2. In a large bowl, add ground chicken, grated onion, minced garlic, egg, soaked breadcrumbs, chopped dill, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  3. Gently mix until just combined—avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Shape and brown the meatballs

  1. Scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of mixture and roll into even 1½″ meatballs (yielding about 20–24 balls).
  2. Heat butter or oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Brown meatballs in batches, turning gently, until golden on all sides (3–4 minutes). They needn’t be cooked through—tou just want color. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Make the sauce

  1. Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining butter.
  2. Whisk in flour to form a roux; cook for 1 minute until pale and bubbly.
  3. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth.
  4. Whisk in cream, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.
  5. Bring to a gentle simmer; sauce will thicken in about 2–3 minutes.

Combine meatballs and sauce

  1. Return meatballs (and any resting juices on the plate) into the skillet, nestling them into the sauce.
  2. Spoon sauce over meatballs.
  3. Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, or until meatballs reach 165 °F internally and sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Finish with dill & serve

  1. Stir in chopped fresh dill.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon.
  3. Garnish with extra dill sprigs. Serve immediately over egg noodles or mashed potatoes with a side of green veg.