Seared until brown then smothered with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, these chicken parmesan meatballs will have everyone dancing to the dinner table!
More easy meatball recipes we can’t get enough of include homemade meatballs, mozzarella stuffed meatballs and easy air fryer meatballs.
Table of Contents
Best Chicken Parm Meatballs
A fun twist on the classic baked chicken parmesan using super flavorful chicken meatballs. Love that i’s a one pot recipe!
It draws from classic recipes like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parm and turns it into something fun and creative like we did with baked ziti with meatballs!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Ground chicken: Bring the meat out to room temperature. Use beef or pork, or make turkey meatballs for parmigiana meatballs.
- For binding: You’ll need a large egg and Panko breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan cheese: I always recommend freshly grating the cheese from a block.
- Olive oil and seasoning: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and
- Marinara sauce: Your favorite jar of store-bought marinara sauce will do. I also have a wonderful homemade marinara sauce you can try.
- Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella is always best when grated from a fresh mozzarella ball.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to mix the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, half of the parmesan cheese, and seasoning. Do not overmix, but make sure everything is well combined. Form them into 1-inch meatballs.
Heat the meatballs in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Turn them often while cooking so they’re evenly browned all over. Transfer them to a plate.
Remove the skillet from the heat and loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add marinara sauce and add the meatballs back in. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and mozzarella on top.
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Do not overmix the meat mixture. This could result in dry meatballs and ground chicken doesn’t contain a lot of moisture as is.
- Keep your hands moist. Ground chicken can be a bit sticky, so adding a bit of olive oil to your hands can help when mixing.
- Seasonings: Add some red pepper flakes for heat. Instead of Italian seasoning, try oregano or parsley. Italian breadcrumbs are an option, as well as adding fresh basil.
- Make sure the skillet is hot. For a beautiful crust, make sure the pan is hot before adding the meatballs. Do not overcrowd the pan either!
- Keep the brown bits for flavor. When scraping the bottom of the pan, do not remove those bits from the skillet. They add a lot of flavor.
- Brown the cheese. Place the skillet under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end.
Serve alongside with green beans and a french baguette or garlic bread!
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Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup panko crumbs
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan , divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pepper , to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 jar marinara sauce (24 ounces)
- 2 cups mozzarella , shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Make sure the oven rack is in the top section of the oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix ground chicken, egg, panko, half the parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix everything together. Form 1 inch meatballs and place them on cookie sheet, The mixture can be quite sticky, so add a little olive oil on your hands, if needed.
- Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet and heat on medium high for a few minutes. Fry meatballs until browned (about 5 minutes), in two batches. There will be about 20 meatballs. Use tongs and turn them often while cooking, so they will be browned all over. Move to a plate once browned.
- Remove skillet from heat and loosen the browned bits of meat from the pan. If there is an excessive amount of oil, you can pour it off, but leave the browned pieces in the pan. Add marinara sauce to the skillet, followed by meatballs. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan and the mozzarella over the top.
- Place skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until meatballs are 165°F. Broil for a couple minutes to brown the cheese, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
My favorite way to serve these Italian chicken meatballs are with a plate of pasta and this Olive Garden salad recipe. A side of garlic bread is always welcome at the table! You can also use them in a meatball sub.
The easiest way is to use a meat thermometer. When inserted into the middle of the meatball, it should read 165°F. Your meatballs are now ready!
Yes! It’s easy to do. Instead of frying them, place them on foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 16-20 minutes, flipping halfway if desired.
Any chicken meatball Parmesan you have left over can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze, I recommend doing so before adding the sauce and mozzarella. Once baked fully, allow them to cool completely. Transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and keep frozen up to 2 month. Thaw in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen by simmering them in the marinara sauce.
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, Chicken, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Italian, Low Carb, Meal Prep, Nut-Free
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I loved that these were made with chicken, such a healthier alternative and they tasted amazing.
I loved these so much and the mozzarella on top was perfection.
These are a family favorite!! They are so tasty, it’s easy to make, & great with may things!
These were a hit at dinner! The Italian seasoning and fresh Parmesan is a good combination. My kids loved them, and I appreciated how easy they were to prepare.
yum! These were great over some pasta, very flavorful!