Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

5 from 5 votes

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs put a fun spin on a classic! Juicy, seasoned chicken meatballs simmer in homemade marinara—perfect over pasta with fresh herbs and Parmesan.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: chicken parmesan meatballs

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $6.72

Equipment

2 Large skillet 1 oven-safe

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs see note 1
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving if desired
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic minced, divided
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes divided
Salt and pepper
20 mozzarella cheese pearls
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup olive oil divided
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Fresh basil
Cooked spaghetti for serving

US - Metric

Instructions

See note 2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, grated Parmesan, egg, dried parsley, dried oregano, onion powder, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper (or to taste). Knead the ingredients together until evenly combined. Do not overmix. Cover tightly and refrigerate this mixture while preparing the mozzarella cheese pearls.
Slice the mozzarella pearls in half. Form the ground chicken mixture into meatballs and insert half a mozzarella pearl into each meatball. Make sure the meat completely covers the mozzarella.
Add the flour to a shallow bowl. Dredge each meatball in the flour. Tap off the excess flour and set the meatballs on a plate. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grab a very large oven-safe nonstick skillet and add in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Once oil is shimmering and hot, add half the meatballs. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until meatballs are browned on the outsides but not cooked through. Remove to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining meatballs, adding extra olive oil if needed. Return the rest of the meatballs back into the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and bake 5–10 minutes or until meatballs are completely cooked through (160°F). I check the meatballs with an oven thermometer at 5 minutes and cook longer as needed.
Meanwhile, in another large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic. Stir the garlic for 1 minute, then add in the can of crushed tomatoes. Add 1 cup water to the can of tomatoes, slosh it around to get all the rest of the tomatoes, and add that liquid to the skillet. Add about 1 teaspoon salt and pepper (or to taste), remaining 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and a sprig of basil.
Simmer the sauce until meatballs are finished cooking in the oven. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions (don’t forget to generously salt the pasta water!) and drain.
When meatballs are cooked through, transfer to the marinara sauce and toss to coat. Serve marinara with meatballs over the cooked pasta. Top with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste. Season with any additional salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes to taste. Enjoy hot!

Notes

Note 1: Panko breadcrumbs are similar to regular breadcrumbs, but they create a much crunchier result. Here’s an article to explain it further.

Note 2: The colder this meatball mix, the easier it is to roll meatballs. These meatballs are a bit wetter than typical beef meatballs, which helps ensure they’re ultra moist. If they are too hard to roll, refrigerate for 10–15 minutes and try again. I typically keep most of the meat mixture in the fridge and roll out 5–10 at a time.

Nutrition Note: Nutritional information does not include pasta.

Storage: Store Chicken Parmesan Meatballs in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Freeze meatballs separately from sauce for up to 3 months. Let it defrost if frozen, then heat in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition