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Gluten-free chicken parmesan meatballs in marinara with a slice of gluten-free garlic bread

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

5 from 3 votes
Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
Classic Chicken Parm in meatball form! Juicy seasoned chicken meatballs, savory marinara sauce, and plenty of gooey melted mozzarella cheese is a winner every single time.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
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Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 386kcal

Ingredients

For The Meatballs:

  • 1 pound Ground Chicken Breast*
  • 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
  • 1/3 cup Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs, if not gluten-free)
  • 1 Large Egg*
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil (minced) (Plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 1 clove Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper (Plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 cups Marinara Sauce
  • 1 cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese

Optional Filling:

  • 16 Mini Mozzarella Pearls or 1/2-inch cubes of Mozzarella

Instructions

  • Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set out an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan. (I like a ceramic pan or glass pan for this.)
  • Combine. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken breast, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Use a fork or clean hands to gently mix until just combined.
  • Divide & Roll. Divide the mixture into 16 meatballs. (I use a medium cookie scoop for this!) If desired, tuck a mozzarella pearl or cube into the center of each meatball, then roll smooth in between your hands.
  • Brown Meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Working in batches (I cook 1/2 the meatballs at a time!), brown meatballs 2-3 minutes per side, just till golden brown. The meatballs will NOT be fully cooked through at this point.
  • Bake. Pour 1 1/3 cup of marinara into the baking pan. Tuck the browned meatballs into the marinara, then top with remaining 2/3 cup marinara sauce. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese. Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes, or until the interior of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees F. Garnish with more basil, parmesan, or black pepper, if desired.
  • Serve & Store. Enjoy warm with pasta, buns, or garlic bread and a side salad or veggies. Store leftover meatballs covered or in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days.

Notes

  • Ground Chicken. I prefer using extra lean ground chicken breast instead of regular ground chicken. It's higher in protein and has a more neutral flavor. 
  • Egg. We've made these meatballs with and without an egg. The egg makes the meatball mixture slightly stickier to work with, but does make the meatballs slightly more tender. If you have an egg allergy, you can leave it out! 
  • Stuffed VS Unstuffed Meatballs. It's really fun to stuff these with mozzarella (I use mini mozzarella pearls), but if you don't have time, or just want to use less cheese, you can skip this step. Unstuffed meatballs will cook through a few minutes faster than stuffed meatballs. 
  • Serving Suggestions. Enjoy these meatballs with a side of garlic bread for sopping up the sauce, serve on pasta, or scoop into buns or baguettes to make meatball subs! 

Video

Course: Chicken, Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken meatballs, meatballs

Nutrition

Serving: 4Meatballs & 1/2 cup sauce (1/4 recipe) | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.3g | Protein: 42.8g | Fat: 13.9g | Saturated Fat: 5.9g | Cholesterol: 138.2mg | Sodium: 1320mg | Potassium: 771.9mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 7.8g | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 337.1mg

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.

Find it Online:

https://www.onelovelylife.com/chicken-parmesan-meatballs/