These chicken parmesan meatballs are juicy, flavorful and smothered in marinara sauce with plenty of melted Parmesan and mozzarella. It’s an easy weeknight dinner with all the flavors of classic chicken parm in meatball form.
I love to round out this meal with my quick and easy Italian salad and these homemade breadsticks!
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Key Takeaways: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Easy weeknight dinner: Ready in just 35 minutes with simple ingredients.
- Classic chicken parm flavor: Juicy chicken meatballs are smothered in marinara, Parmesan and melted mozzarella.
- One skillet: The meatballs are browned, sauced and baked all in the same skillet for easy cleanup.
- Family favorite: Serve over pasta or with bread and a salad for a complete meal.
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe has all the flavors of classic baked chicken parmesan, but swaps the breaded cutlets for juicy chicken meatballs. They’re easy to make, covered in marinara and melted cheese, and everything comes together in one skillet.
It’s a fun mashup of favorites like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parm, similar to how my baked ziti with meatballs turns classic meatballs into an easy family dinner.
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Ground chicken: Let it come to room temperature before mixing. You can also make turkey meatballs or homemade meatballs with ground beef, pork or a combination.
- 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 pepper.
- 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
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. To brown the cheese, place the skillet under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end.
Helpful Tips
- 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.
- Check for doneness. The easiest way to know your meatballs are done is with a meat thermometer. Inserted into the middle, it should read 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve these is over a plate of pasta with this Olive Garden salad on the side. A warm French baguette or garlic bread is always welcome at the table too. You can even pile the leftovers into a meatball sub the next day.
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs FAQs
The easiest way to check is with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it into the center of a meatball. Chicken meatballs are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Yes. Place the meatballs on a foil-lined or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 16 to 20 minutes, or until they reach 165°F. You can flip them halfway through for more even browning.
Chicken meatballs can turn out dry if they are overcooked or the mixture is overworked. Mix the ingredients just until combined and cook only until the centers reach 165°F. The egg, panko and Parmesan also help keep the meatballs tender and juicy.
Yes. Fully cooked frozen chicken meatballs are a great shortcut. Heat them according to the package directions, then add them to the skillet with the marinara and cheese and bake until everything is hot and bubbly.
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More easy meatball recipes we can’t get enough of include teriyaki chicken meatballs, mozzarella stuffed meatballs and easy air fryer meatballs.
More Meatball Recipes
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 1 pound ground chicken, 1 egg, 1/3 cup panko, 1/3 cup the parmesan, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon 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 2 Tablespoons 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 1/3 cup parmesan and 2 cups 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.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Rebecca B
I love chicken Parmesan, and this recipe satisfies my craving while keeping picky family members happy. Win-win!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad the whole family enjoys the chicken Parmesan meatballs!
Cecilia
I loved that these were made with chicken, such a healthier alternative and they tasted amazing.
Kristen
I loved these so much and the mozzarella on top was perfection.
Kristyn
These are a family favorite!! They are so tasty, it’s easy to make, & great with may things!
Mara
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.
Sarah
yum! These were great over some pasta, very flavorful!