One of my favorite fall recipes, this simple Chicken Meatloaf is stuffed with apples and fresh sage to give is a ton of flavor and keep it moist. If you’ve never loved a traditional meatloaf, this fun variation is for you!
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Apples & Sage Make this Chicken Meatloaf Insanely Delicious!
I’ve never been a fan of the traditional meatloaf recipe with ground beef and ketchup, but this version made with ground chicken has me in love with the process of meatloaf!
This lightened up meatloaf uses ground chicken and sautéed veggies, along with fresh apples and lots of fresh sage and rosemary. The combination is insanely delicious – think your favorite chicken apple sausages!
This recipe makes a large loaf, perfect for a family dinner or for a week of meal prep. I love making this and freezing it for easy meals during busy weeks.
The whole family will enjoy this sweet and savory dish.
What You’ll Need
- Ground Chicken
- Apples (any tart variety will work, like pink lady or honey crisp)
- Yellow Onion
- Celery
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Sage and Fresh Rosemary (or sub dried herbs!)
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Cayenne
- Dijon Mustard
Apple Cider Gravy
- Apple Cider (or high quality unfiltered apple juice)
- Dijon Mustard
- Chicken Broth
- Arrowroot Powder (or organic corn starch)
How to Make Chicken Meatloaf
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400º F. Find a standard size loaf pan and set aside.
Step 2: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, and add onions, celery, apples, and garlic. Sauté for about 15 minutes, until the onions are very tender.
Step 3: Season the vegetables with fresh sage and rosemary, and sea salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and release the oils from the herbs.
Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken with the sautéed vegetables and apples, and the dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Use a spoon (or your hands!) to fully mix the vegetables into the chicken.
Step 5: Add the chicken meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan, and smooth out the top.
Step 6: Cover the meatloaf with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes to brown the top. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving.
How to Serve Chicken Meatloaf with Apples and Sage
My absolute favorite way to serve this Apple Chicken Meatloaf is over my thick Cauliflower Mash (made with parsnips or potatoes!).
It’s also great served over another side dish, like steamed rice or quinoa.
Mix it up by serving it with Roasted Butternut Squash or Baked Delicata Squash.
I also love it served with Sauteed Bacon Green Beans.
How to Store Leftovers
Once the chicken meatloaf has fully cooled, add plastic wrap over the loaf pan, or pack it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for 3-4 days.
To Freeze: This is perfect for freezing individual portions of protein for your meal prep! I freeze leftover chicken meatloaf along with the cauliflower mash in glass or stainless steel containers. When I am ready to reheat it, I add metal rack to a pot with water, and simmer the water with a lid over the top. My leftovers are reheated without being dried out (and it keeps the components of the meal separate!) No microwave needed!
Having frozen high-protein meals ready to go in the freezer is a game-changer during busy weeks!
Variations:
Chicken Meatballs: Want to cook this recipe faster, or don’t have a loaf pan or oven? This recipe makes delicious meatballs! Instead of pressing the chicken mixture into a loaf pan, form 1-2 inch balls of the mixture.
- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the mixture into 1-2 inch balls, and place them on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 12-15 minutes, until the juices run clear and the meatballs are fully cooked inside.
- Skillet Method: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the meatballs, leaving space in between each one. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, rotating to brown them fully. This might take a couple batches to cook the whole amount of chicken.
OR, try this delicious Healthy Chicken Meatball recipe (for a more classic meatball flavor!).
Mini Meatloaves: Use mini loaf pans to make individual-sized chicken meatloaves. Divide the meatloaf mixture between 4 mini loaf pans and cover with foil to bake. Reduce baking time to 30 minutes covered with foil, and 10-15 minutes uncovered.
Turkey Meatloaf: Sub the ground chicken for ground chicken. It makes the perfect swap, with no other changes to the recipe necessary!
My Other Favorite Chicken Recipes
- Balsamic Chicken (I also LOVE this served over cauliflower mash)
- Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts (super simple method for quick dinners!)
- Dutch Oven Roast Chicken (don’t let the long bake time deter you – this is so simple to put together!)
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Apple Sage Chicken Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 cup tart apple finely chopped (1 medium, I use pink lady)
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped (plus leaves for garnish)
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Apple Cider Gravy
- 1 cup apple cider or an unfiltered apple juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Find a standard size loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, and add onions, celery, apples, and garlic. Sauté for about 15 minutes, until the onions are very tender.
- Season the vegetables with fresh sage and rosemary, and sea salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and release the oils from the herbs. *After transferring the vegetables to the chicken mixture, do not wash the pan. Leave it with the seasoning to make the chicken gravy in!
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken with the sautéed vegetables and apples, and the dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Use a spoon (or your hands!) to fully mix the vegetables into the chicken.
- Add the chicken mixture into the loaf pan, and smooth out the top.
- Cover the meatloaf with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes to brown the top. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving.
Apple Cider Gravy
- In the same skillet used to saute the vegetables and apples (do not wash the pan!), deglaze the pan with the apple cider. Bring it to a low simmer and reduce by half, scraping any browned bits from the pan into the sauce.
- Add the arrowroot powder to the chicken broth, and stir to combine. Slowly drizzle the chicken broth into the pan with the apple cider, whisking to prevent clumps.
- Season with dijon mustard, and additional salt and pepper, if desired.
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Notes
How to Serve Chicken Meatloaf with Apples and Sage
My absolute favorite way to serve this Apple Chicken Meatloaf is over my thick Cauliflower Mash (made with parsnips or potatoes!). It’s also great served over steamed rice or quinoa. Mix it up by serving it with Roasted Butternut Squash or Baked Delicata Squash.How to Store Leftovers
Once the chicken meatloaf has fully cooled, pack it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 1 week. To Freeze: This is perfect for freezing individual portions of protein for your meal prep! I freeze it along with the cauliflower mash in glass or stainless steel containers. When I am ready to reheat it, I add metal rack to a pot with water, and simmer the water with a lid over the top. My leftovers are reheated without being dried out (and it keeps the components of the meal separate!) No microwave needed!Variations:
Chicken Meatballs: Want to cook this recipe faster, or don’t have a loaf pan or oven? This recipe makes delicious meatballs! Instead of pressing the chicken mixture into a loaf pan, form 1-2 inch balls of the mixture.- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the mixture into 1-2 inch balls, and place them on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 12-15 minutes, until the juices run clear and the meatballs are fully cooked inside.
- Skillet Method: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the meatballs, leaving space in between each one. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, rotating to brown them fully. This might take a couple batches to cook the whole amount of chicken.
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