Chicken Parm Meatballs
Juicy, cheesy, and baked in marinara sauce until perfectly melty, these chicken parm meatballs are everything you love about chicken parmesan in an easy, bite-sized version. They’re pan-seared for a golden crust, then finished in the oven with marinara and mozzarella for that classic comfort food combo.
Servings: 20 meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Coating
- ¾ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- oil for pan frying the meatballs
For Baking
- 1 ¼ cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together ground chicken, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup Parmesan, egg, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the meatballs tender.
- Scoop out 2-tablespoon-sized portions and form into 18–20 meatballs. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to help them firm up.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- In a medium bowl, mix together 3/4 cup panko and 1/3 cup Parmesan for the coating.
- Roll the chilled meatballs in the panko-Parmesan mixture until fully coated.
- Pan-fry meatballs until golden brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Keep in mind, you’re not fully cooking them here, just building that crispy crust.
- Pour marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and place meatballs on top in a layer, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the meatballs.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture. Overworking the chicken can make the meatballs dense instead of tender.
- Don't skip chilling the meatballs! It helps them firm up so they hold their shape better when you’re rolling them in the panko mixture and pan-frying.
- Make sure your pan is hot before adding the meatballs so you get that golden, crispy coating. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the coating can stick instead of crisping up. Keep the heat at medium so the outside doesn’t brown too quickly before the inside has a chance to set.
- When pan-frying, don’t worry about cooking them through. This step is just to get that golden, crispy crust, and they’ll finish cooking in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg
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