Mini Chicken “Meatloaf” Cups (Gluten-Free)

This recipe has quickly become a family favorite in our home! It can be made with any ground meat of your choice, or a combination of ground meats. I love the simplicity and versatility of this recipe and the fact that it only requires a few ingredients. You can also sneak in some finely chopped vegetables of your choice for those picky eaters. Also makes a wonderful afternoon snack! I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do 🙂

A huge “Thank You” to “The Pioneer Woman” (aka: “Ree Drummond”) for sharing the original version of this recipe. I have made some changes in order to make this dish GF and allergy-friendly for our family.

Mini Chicken “Meatloaf” Cups (Gluten-Free)

  • 1 1/2 Cups Gluten-Free Whole Oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF Whole Oats)
  • 1 Cup Whole Milk (or Unflavored Oat Milk for a dairy-free version)
  • 2 1/2 lbs Ground Chicken (or ground Turkey, Pork, Beef or combination of ground meats of your choice)
  • 2 tsp Dried Minced Parsley (or 3 Tablespoons Freshly Minced Parsley)
  • 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt (such as “Season All” or “Lawry’s”)
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper ( )
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional, if you would like a bit of heat)
  • 1/4 + 3/4 Cup Ketchup (more, if needed)
  • Shredded Parmesan Cheese (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Generously spray 18-20 standard muffin cups (2 – 12-cup muffin pans) with cooking spray; set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the Whole Oats and Milk together; set aside for about 5 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground Meat, the Oat mixture, Parsley, Seasoned Salt, Pepper and 1/4 Cup Ketchup.
  5. Scoop a 1/4-cup portion of the Meat mixture into the prepared muffin cups and evenly flatten/smooth the tops.
  6. Next, squirt about 1/2 teaspoon of Ketchup onto the tops of each “meatloaf” and smooth the Ketchup evenly to thoroughly coat the tops.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes, then carefully remove the muffin pans from the oven and squirt another 1/2 teaspoon onto the tops of the “meatloaves,” spreading evenly with the back of the spoon to thoroughly coat each “meatloaf.”
  8. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until edges start to crisp and/or sizzle.
  9. Remove from the oven and add any additional Ketchup to the tops; you may also lightly sprinkle the tops with shredded Parmesan Cheese, if desired; let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before serving.
  10. Excellent served with a fresh Salad and fruit! Yummy 🙂
Appetizers, Dinner, Hors d’Oeuvres, Lunch, Main Dish, Snacks
American