My Chicken Parmesan obsession runs deep. We kicked off the week with a classic chicken parmesan recipe and today we're getting fancy with Chicken Parmesan Meatballs!!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
My cooking skills were somewhat limited in college. If you came over for dinner it was either chicken parm or a roasted chicken with salad. That's it. The only options you got! You could say I’ve expanded my repertoire a bit since then (with over 1000 recipes on this site I think culinary school has officially paid off), but I always come back to chicken parm. My classic chicken parm recipe is a winner, but I wanted to jazz things up a bit today.
So I took each and every ingredient from the chicken parm recipe, and turned it into meatballs. So all those herbs - into the meatballs! The parmesan and breadcrumbs - into the meatballs. The mozzarella, well, you get the point! There’s even a bit of flour on the outside of every meatball to give it a bit of a crust.
I kinda of hate myself for not making these earlier, because to say I’m obsessed would be an understatement. I practically licked the skillet clean when I made these. You absolutely, positively, must try these!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground Chicken
- Parmesan grated
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Salt
- Black Pepper freshly cracked
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Parsley
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Flour
- Bocconcini Mozzarella Balls
- Olive Oil
- Basil Leaves
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Parm Meatballs
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes. Carefully combine everything with your hands until the ingredients are evenly mixed.
Step 2: Form the ground chicken mixture into small meatballs, each the size of a golf ball. Insert a small bocconcini ball in the center of each meatball, taking care to reform the meatball around the cheese once it’s been inserted. The mozzarella should be completely hidden from sight.
Step 3: Dredge each meatball in the flour to lightly coat it and gently tap off any excess flour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 4: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half of the meatballs and sauté for a 3-4 minutes, turning every so often to brown the outside.
Step 5: Once all meatballs are browned, add the tomato sauce to the skillet and place the browned meatballs on top of the sauce.
Step 6: Transfer the skillet, meatballs and all, into the oven and let the meatballs continue to bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Remove the skillet from the oven and dusting with salt, pepper, freshly chopped basil and extra bocconcini if desired. Serve immediately.
How to Store Chicken Parm Meatballs
You can store these meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat on the stovetop, microwave or oven until warmed through.
How to Freeze Chicken Parm Meatballs
You can sure freeze these meatballs! You can decide at what point you want to freeze them. You can freeze uncooked meatballs, or after they are sautéed. Line the meatballs in a single layer in a baking sheet in the freezer, and once they are firm, transfer them to a freezer bag. Store up to three months.
Tips & Tricks
If you haven't heard of this technique, I highly recommend dredging the raw meatballs in flour. This helps them form a delightful crust when you brown them in the pan!
FAQs
Making a big meal for hosting or Thanksgiving, can I prep these ahead?
If you're trying to prep these Chicken Parm Meatballs ahead of time - you could make the mixture and scoop it into balls 2 days before serving. Just make sure to cover with plastic wrap to keep all the moisture. Then you'll add the cheese and sauté day of to keep them fresh and get that golden crust.
Can I make these with spaghetti or a different sauce?
Yes!! You can pair these meatballs with any grain, or another sauce that you like!
Stuck in a dinner rut? Looking for new delicious dinner ideas? Check out my roundup of 50+ easy dinner ideas here.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cups flour
- bocconcini mozzarella balls
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- handful of basil leaves torn
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes. Carefully combine everything with your hands until the ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Form the ground chicken mixture into small meatballs, each the size of a golf ball.
- Insert a small bocconcini ball in the center of each meatball, taking care to reform the meatball around the cheese once it’s been inserted. The mozzarella should be completely hidden from sight.
- Dredge each meatball in the flour to lightly coat it and gently tap off any excess flour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half of the meatballs and sauté for a 3-4 minutes, turning every so often to brown the outside.
- Once the meatballs are browned, remove them from the oil and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.
- Once all meatballs are browned, add the tomato sauce to the skillet and place the browned meatballs on top of the sauce.
- Transfer the skillet, meatballs and all, into the oven and let the meatballs continue to bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and dusting with salt, pepper, freshly chopped basil and extra bocconcini if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
YUM! So so good.
I didn't add cheese in the center so it was simpler to make and easier to cut up for little ones, but just added some extra mozz on top, I also made some orzo to serve with, Delicious!
I jumped on the bandwagon and made these meatballs - WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG?! These are so so good! They’re also the perfect dish to bring to someone for a meal train and always get rave reviews. Will make on repeat for years to come!
Any suggestions for making these ahead of time? I want to make them on the 23rd to serve for Christmas Eve! Thank you
My husband wants me to make this every Sunday night- it’s that good!! We love this meal.
This was as delicious as promised. I followed the recipe as shown on the video, except I drained out much of the oil before adding in the sauce. I served over bucatini with roasted broccoli on the side. My husband made “that sound” when he was eating that is indicative of utter bliss. Thank you, Gaby!
This is DELICIOUS!! So so so good, I will be making this often!
I made these for the first time last night. Absolutely delicious! The only change I made was I added some garlic powder to the meat mix, and because I had ground turkey which tends to be leaner, I added two Tbsp basil olive oil to the mix (I doubled the recipe). Thanks Gaby!
Can these be left to warm in a crock pot until ready for dinner?
totally
I haven’t been to the store to look but online it says the bocconcini balls are the size of an egg. Can you find them smaller or do you cut off pieces? This recipe sounds so good. I can’t wait to make it.
you want mozzarella balls about the size of a dime!
Can these be made in advance / frozen? If so, any tips for prepping process or post removing from freezer?
yes!!
Such a hit with my family last night! My husband and 5yo son each had seconds and thirds!! Will definitely be making this again - thanks for the great recipe.
These were so forking delicious. I have one or two go-to meatball recipes but this is a strong contender for when I want to be a little fancier. The flavors are perfection and everyone was delighted by the gooey, melty cheese inside. I esp love the browning step to created a most excellent crust that still manages to survive the oven bake. Now I need to figure out how to large-batch these so I can make multiple meals at a time.
So!
Good!
Hands down one of the quickest and easiest meals for a weeknight but also would be great to serve guests! Meatballs have so much flavor, and sometimes ground chicken or Turkey can be bland, spices were just perfect for it. The side she mentions in comments or above is also a great combo, her butter lettuce salad. Make this meal! Made pasta for my 7 year old, but we were fine with the salad and meatballs, so hearty.
This is not only a genius idea but it’s absolutely delicious in it’s simplicity!! It hits all the chicken parm notes in a meatball, so creative & perfect!!! I’ve made it many times (as I have so many of Gaby’s amazing recipes) & I never remember to leave a review. If you’re a fan of chicken parm & the idea of this sounds appealing to you DON’T pass it by!! Thanks Gaby; can’t ever go wrong cooking your recipes!!
Should I have emptied the oil out of the pan before adding the marinara?
personal preference - I don't. Mostly bc I'm lazy