Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
For the ChickenParmesan Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 count large egg
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 counts garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For Topping
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 pinch Fresh parsley finely chopped for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
- Shape into 16 even meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush or drizzle the meatballs with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Spoon marinara sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake for 3–5 more minutes, or until the meatballs reach 165°F internally and the Parmesan is melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Ground chicken is naturally softer than ground beef, so chilling the shaped meatballs for 10–15 minutes before baking can help them hold their shape more cleanly and produce rounder, more uniform meatballs.
- The ideal internal temperature is 165°F (74°C), but remove the meatballs from the oven as soon as they reach that temperature. Because of carryover cooking, they will continue to rise a few degrees while resting.
- Parmesan contributes both flavor and texture. As it melts, it helps create a more cohesive protein structure, which is why these meatballs stay tender without ricotta cheese.
- If using a convection oven, reduce the baking temperature to 375°F (190°C). The circulating air promotes faster browning and can dry out lean poultry if baked at full temperature.
- For the most professional presentation, allow the marinara sauce to warm before spooning it over the meatballs. Cold sauce can slow browning and reduce even heating during the final bake.
- Finely grated Parmesan incorporates more evenly than coarse shreds and distributes flavor throughout the meatball rather than creating isolated pockets of cheese.
- Resting the finished meatballs for 3–5 minutes before serving allows the proteins to relax and helps retain more juices inside each bite.
- These meatballs are excellent for batch cooking because their flavor improves after a day in the refrigerator as the garlic, herbs, and Parmesan continue to meld.
Nutrition
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