All the flavors of classic Chicken Parmesan are rolled into these bite-size Chicken Parmesan Meatballs. I was so impressed by these meatballs the first time I made them; I requested them again for my birthday dinner. Sean had no trouble at all making this recipe on his own; even for a less frequent or experienced cook, this is a simple recipe.
If you have never considered making homemade meatballs before, this would be an excellent way to try them for the first time. This is one of the most forgiving recipes I’ve ever made. We’ve had these a few times now and I’ve adapted the recipe differently each time.
Baked meatballs are simple, I promise. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix together, scoop into balls and bake. This recipe also includes a drizzle of sauce and a slice of cheese, but that’s it. The prep time is far less than you would think. I think it took me about half an hour to prep and get these into the oven. (That included making a quick batch of the most amazing marinara sauce and slicing the mozzarella to top them!)
Serve these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs on their own or over pasta with extra sauce. Either way, they are delicious. I’ve been making these meatballs for over four years now and every time I serve them they receive high praise.
If you love chicken parmesan as much as we do, you’ll want to check out these recipes for Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skillet, Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, and Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches.
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs gluten free panko will work fine
- 1/4 cup finely minced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- zest of 1 small lemon about 1 teaspoon
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 quart Five Minute Marinara Sauce
- 4-6 ounces mozzarella freshly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, setting the rack in the upper third of the oven. In a large bowl, combine everything except the marinara and the mozzarella. Lightly mix together, using your hands or a large spoon. Scoop and shape into small meatballs and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Place the meatballs fairly close together on the tray to make them fit. Spoon about a half tablespoon of sauce over each meatball. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove meatballs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to broil. Spoon an additional half tablespoon of sauce over each meatball and top with a small square of mozzarella. (I cut the thin slices into pieces about 1" square.) Broil an additional 3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned golden. Serve with additional sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally posted 9/9/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/20/17}
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
I love baked meat balls – they are so much better than fried. Love the idea of the cheese and marinara – they look amazing! Hope you had a wonderful birthday.
Velva says
Meatballs rock! perfect for dinner and perfect to freeze for later. Thanks for sharing.
Velva
Bethany Winston says
Wow! These look delicious!
Sue/the view from great island says
Happy belated Birthday!! I have never made meatballs with ground chicken, I will try these.
Therese says
Therese
Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says
I like the idea of chicken parm but not the chicken patty part. This might just sway me…looks delicious!
Jenn S says
Funny, I have been craving meatballs lately… and these would be a perfect way to feed that craving!!! YUM!!
Megan Nicole says
Awesom chicken food and article. Great job posting this one this reminds me of a recipe I tried once called chicken tikka.
Amber DeGrace says
I made these last night along with your five-minute marinara. Delicious, quick, and so easy! I made a half batch which was more than plenty for dinner and leftovers. I'm subscribing to your blog feed now – cheers!
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) says
These are a "must make". Pinned so I remember. Thanks for the recipe.
Chris says
This would be a great party appetizer!
Becki's Whole Life says
I have been buying ground chicken for burgers lately, but I have been looking for different recipes that use ground chicken – these sound wonderful!!
Anonymous says
The Chicken Parmesan Meatballs look absolutely amazing, and I will definitely be making them soon. I, too, am looking for different recipes that use ground chicken, for example,
I was wondering if you would know of a recipe for a Chicken Meatloaf which has spinach in it…I also think it might have thyme and red pepper flakes in it, but I'm not sure of that.
Anonymous says
I have ground turkey in the freezer…lots! My store had a great sale! Would the turkey change the taste? I rarely used ground turkey (or chicken)
Mary says
It will not taste as much like "chicken" parmesan, but it should still be delicious. Let me know what you think!
Amy @ Living Locurto says
I can't wait to try these Mary!
Violette Webb says
I was starving when I made this, so I made one chicken patty along with the meatballs and ate the patty first with a piece of colby jack cheese melted on top and saved the meatballs for easy appetizers dinner.
Christine says
I have made these and they are soooo delicious. I double the batch cuz my hubby likes me to make him chicken parmesan meatball hoagies. And they are so quick too. Love them!
Anonymous says
Made this recipe on Sunday – it was amazing! A real keeper!
Kimberly
Krys says
I have some of these in the freezer right now! Great for impromptu chicken parm meatball subs or pasta!
Christine says
Love these. I make then once a month and I double the batch. Hubby likes to take chicken parmesan meatball sandwiches to work.
Anonymous says
These were amazing!
Jim