These Polish Chicken Meatballs, or klopsiki, are tender, juicy meatballs simmered in a creamy dill sauce. It's the kind of comforting, home-cooked dinner I grew up eating in Poland, and one that never gets old. Made with simple ingredients like ground chicken, fresh dill, and chicken broth, these klopsiki are surprisingly easy to make and absolutely delicious served over mashed potatoes.
If you love traditional Polish comfort food, be sure to try my Polish Pork Meatballs (Kotlety Mielone), Polish Dill Pickle Soup, and Łazanki. They're all delicious examples of the simple, hearty meals Polish families love.
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Ingredient notes
- Ground chicken: Ground turkey works just as well.
- Breadcrumbs: I use plain breadcrumbs but seasoned will also work.
- Leek: Substitute with a small yellow onion or a shallot, if needed.
- Chicken broth: I used low-sodium broth from a carton but homemade chicken broth is even better.
- Cream: Use light cream or heavy cream for a richer sauce.
- Fresh dill: Best for flavor, but if you can't find it, parsley also tastes good in this recipe.
- Flour: Helps brown the meatballs and thicken the sauce.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, black pepper and paprika.
See recipe card for a full ingredient list and quantities.
How to make Polish chicken meatballs
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings until just combined.
- Step 2: Shape the meatballs. Roll the mixture into small, bite-sized balls.
- Step 3: Coat in flour. Lightly roll each meatball in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess.
- Step 4: Brown the meatballs. Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the meatballs until golden on all sides. Set aside.
- Step 5: In a separate skillet, sauté sliced leek and grated carrot in butter until softened. Add minced garlic.
- Step 6: Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Step 7: Add the browned meatballs and cook for 7–10 minutes, until cooked through.
- Step 8: Finish the sauce. Stir in the cream mixed with flour and simmer until thickened. Add fresh dill, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
How to Serve Polish Chicken Meatballs
Traditionally, Polish klopsiki in dill sauce are served with boiled or mashed potatoes, which are perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce. Here are a few other serving ideas:
- Rice: White or brown rice works great with the creamy dill sauce.
- Egg noodles: A delicious alternative to potatoes.
- Buckwheat (kasza gryczana): A traditional Polish side dish with a nutty flavor.
- Mizeria: Polish cucumber salad makes a refreshing side dish.
- Buraczki: Polish beet salad, another classic dinner side.
Storage and Freezing
- Refrigerator: Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked meatballs for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze them separately from the sauce, as cream-based sauces may separate when thawed.
- Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if the sauce is too thick.
Tips for the Best Klopsiki
- Don't overmix the meat. Mix just until combined to keep the meatballs tender.
- Use damp hands. Ground chicken is sticky, so slightly wet hands make rolling easier.
- Keep the meatballs small. Bite-sized meatballs cook evenly and are easier to serve. I use a small cookie scoop to portion out the meat before rolling it with my hands.
- Brown before simmering. A quick sauté adds flavor and helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- Simmer gently. Avoid boiling the sauce, especially after adding the cream.
- Add dill at the end. Fresh dill tastes best when added toward the end of cooking.
Recipe FAQs
Klopsiki (also called "pulpety") are small, round meatballs typically simmered in sauce, while kotlety mielone are larger, flattened Polish meat patties that are usually breaded and pan-fried.
Yes. You can add the raw meatballs (without flour coating!) directly to the simmering broth and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. However, browning them first adds flavor and gives them a better texture. Or, you can bake them in the oven (no flour).
Fresh dill is typical for Polish quisine and best for authentic Polish dill sauce.
More Polish dinner ideas
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Polish Chicken Meatballs (Klopsiki)
Ingredients
Chicken meatballs
- 1 ½ lb ground chicken
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- all purpose flour for coating the meatballs, about ½ cup
- vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil, for sautéing the meatballs
Dill sauce
- 1 leek sliced thin, mostly the white part
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- ½ cup cream light or heavy
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup fresh dill chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Mix until well combined. Using your hands, form small, bite-sized meatballs.
- Lightly coat the meatballs in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the meatballs until lightly golden on all sides. They don't need to be fully cooked at this point. Set aside.
- In a separate large skillet or sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced leek and grated carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Pour in chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the sautéed meatballs, cover, and cook for 7–10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cream and 1 tablespoon of flour until smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the simmering sauce. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in chopped fresh dill and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with mashed potatoes, rice, or your favorite side dish.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
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