This recipe started as my way to make chicken parmesan a little more accessible for a weeknight—no dredging, no frying, no mess on the stove, and most importantly, NO soggy chicken parm. It’s always been my biggest gripe with chicken parm – you put in all that effort to dredge and fry chicken cutlets to get them crispy, but all that effort immediately goes away when they get hot sauce poured over them.
So instead of doing that, we’re taking all the classic flavors and turning them into tender, juicy meatballs that get stuffed with melty mozzarella. They then get seared and baked in marinara sauce (your favorite jarred or homemade – whatever works here!) with even more mozz and parmesan on top.
And let’s talk about the crunch—because we’re not skipping it over here. Rather than risking soggy breading, we toast panko breadcrumbs in garlic butter and sprinkle them over the top right before serving. You still get that crispy, golden bite, but it actually stays crisp instead of getting lost in the sauce.
It’s everything you love about chicken parm, just easier. Everything you love about traditional chicken parm—crispy, cheesy, saucy goodness—just gets transformed into an easy, approachable dinner that’s perfect for both busy weeknights and cozy Sunday suppers.
These meatballs come together easily, reheat beautifully, and are guaranteed to disappear fast.
A Few Tips:
- Mix all the ingredients aside from the meat first for more even incorporation with the meatball. You don’t want to overmix the meat—mixing lightly keeps the meatballs tender
- Give them a quick sear before baking for extra flavor and to lock in the moisture. This also helps add flavor to the marinara sauce.
- Use a marinara sauce you really love—it makes all the difference. I love Rao’s for its taste and ease/convenience.
Serving Suggestions:
- My favorite way to serve these is with some light angel hair or spaghetti to let the meatballs really shine, especially with that crunchy topping!
- If you’re more of a chunky bread dipped in sawwceee kinda meatball family, I’d skip the breadcrumb topping and serve these with crusty bread, OR for a real power move: garlic bread.
- A light, super lemony arugula salad or caesar works beautifully with this to turn it into a whole meal, or garlicky lemon broccolini with some red pepper flakes.
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Total Time: 50
- Yield: 4
Description
Easy chicken parmesan meatballs stuffed with mozzarella, baked in marinara, and topped with crispy garlic butter breadcrumbs for a delicious dinner the whole family will love.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Parm Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 3 tbsps olive oil, divided
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ yellow onion, grated
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 8oz small mozzarella balls
For Assembly:
- 1 28oz jar favorite marinara (I like Rao’s)
- 4oz mozzarella, sliced thinly
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly torn basil
- Cooked spaghetti or baguette for serving
For the Garlicky Breadcrumbs (Optional):
- ¼ cup salted butter (½ stick)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tbsps fresh parsley
- Salt to taste
Instructions
For the Chicken Parm Meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 tbsp olive oil, panko, parmesan, egg, grated onion, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Mix until combined. Add the ground chicken and mix until incorporated.
- Using a 2” cookie scoop or spoon, form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. Stuff each with a mini mozzarella ball, sealing the chicken mixture completely around the cheese so it doesn’t leak while cooking.
- Heat an oven proof skillet over medium heat and drizzle in 2 tbsps olive oil. Once hot, add half the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs (they won’t be fully cooked at this stage, as they will finish cooking in the oven).
- Reduce the heat to low. Return all meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce, gently turning to coat. Shut off the heat.
- Top with sliced mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Broil on high for the last 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- To make the optional breadcrumb topping (best for serving with pasta), heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted and starting to bubble, add in the grated garlic and stir until softened. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toss to coat in the garlic butter. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley.
- To serve, spoon the meatballs over pasta and top with the garlic butter breadcrumbs just before serving for extra crunch — or enjoy straight from the skillet with crusty bread and skip the breadcrumbs altogether.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Italian