The Best Ground Chicken Meatloaf (gluten-free)

Why you will love this recipe:

• This homemade chicken meatloaf is moist and tender and each bite is packed with flavour. It's never dry or boring like so many other meatloaf recipes.
• It's so quick and easy to make and only requires a few minutes of hands on time.
• It freezes really well and makes great leftovers so is great for meal prep. 
• This ground chicken meatloaf is the perfect dish to serve on those busy weeknights. 
• It's made with pantry staples that I bet you already have on hand.
• Not only is this meatloaf healthy and delicious but it is also gluten free and dairy free and can easily be made paleo and Whole30 compliant.

Ingredients and substitutions:

For the exact measurements refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Ground chicken - I recommend using ground dark chicken meat if possible for more moisture and flavour rather than white chicken meat. If you don't have ground chicken meat you could use ground turkey instead.
• Applesauce - the secret ingredient to this moist meatloaf. Not only does it add a bit of natural sweetness to this ground chicken meatloaf but it also pairs nicely with the chicken to give this easy meatloaf so much flavour!
• Garlic - fresh garlic helps amp up the flavour in this meatloaf recipe.
• Mustard - mustard helps add both moisture and more flavour to this loaf. You can use any type of mustard that you like including dijon mustard, grainy mustard or yellow mustard.
• Eggs - eggs are used as a binder and to help add moisture to meatloaf. I do not recommend omitting the eggs or trying to use an egg replacement.
• Spices - sea salt, ground black pepper, dried rosemary and herbes de provence spice blend work perfectly in this meatloaf. You could easily swap the herbs de Provence spice blend for Italian seasoning and turn this into Italian chicken meatloaf. 
• Almond flour - to help bind this gluten-free meatloaf recipe. Instead of almond flour you could use oatmeal, bread crumbs or crushed crackers. 
• BBQ sauce - this is optional but I personally love topping meatloaf with bbq sauce to give it even more flavour and turn this into a bbq chicken meatloaf!

Recipe variations and add ins:

• Instead of almond flour you could use bread crumbs, almond meal, oatmeal or crushed crackers to bind this ground chicken meatloaf.
• Instead of bbq sauce you could top this meatloaf with ketchup. 
• To make this chicken meatloaf Whole30 compliant: be sure the applesauce and bbq sauce you use is Whole30 compliant - or make your own Whole30 bbq sauce! 
• If you are on a paleo diet: use a paleo safe bbq sauce to top this meatloaf.
• Instead of ground chicken you could use ground turkey.
• If you are serving a crowd or want leftovers you can double this recipe to make two loaves.

How to make ground chicken meatloaf:

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and add all the meatloaf ingredients (except the bbq sauce) to a large bowl.

2. Step 2: Mix all the ingredients together until they are well combined. 

3. Step 3: Now transfer the meat mixture to a lined or greased bread pan and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until the loaf is cooked though. 

4. Step 4: Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then top the meatloaf with barbecue sauce or ketchup and serve while warm.

How to serve:

This ground chicken meatloaf pairs well with many different side dishes. Some of my favourites include air fryer baked sweet potatoes, low carb coleslaw, dairy free broccoli salad, air fried roasted potato wedges and cherry tomato soup. You can also pair meatloaf with almond flour biscuits or cornbread without gluten.

You can also use this classic meatloaf to make a meatloaf sandwich!

How to store:

Store any leftover meatloaf in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

This meatloaf also freezes really well for up to 3 months. If you are going to freeze it, don't top it with bbq sauce or ketchup before doing so. Add the toppings after it has been thawed.