These chicken parmesan meatballs take everything I love about chicken parm, from the tangy marinara and melted mozzarella to that golden crunch, and turn it into a 35-minute dinner with no cutlets to pound or bread. The meatballs are packed with Parmesan, garlic and breadcrumbs, get a quick sear and finish cooking as they simmer in the sauce, then go under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese. The part that makes them taste like the real thing is the panko toasted in butter and scattered over at the very end, so it stays crunchy instead of soaking into the sauce.
I tested a few versions of these chicken parm meatballs, and the biggest difference came from the ground chicken itself. Using ground chicken thighs keeps the inside juicy, while the lean ground chicken I tried first came out incredibly dry.
These are always a hit with my family, so I like to make a double batch and freeze half. On a busy night, I just pop them into a pan, top them with mozzarella and broil before serving, which makes them a great quick dinner.
I love serving them straight from the skillet on their own, or spooned over pasta for a heartier dinner. If you’re after another easy chicken meatball dinner, my chicken pesto meatballs are a fresh, herby twist.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground chicken: Skip the lean or extra-lean packs and look for ground chicken made from thighs. When I tested these with lean ground chicken, the meatballs came out dry inside, and I couldn’t fix it by adding more liquid because ground chicken is already so wet that the meatballs won’t hold their shape. The extra fat in thigh meat is what keeps them juicy through the sear, the simmer and the broil. If you can’t find it, it’s easy to make your own: just add boneless, skinless chicken thighs to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Panko breadcrumbs: I always reach for panko because it’s so much crunchier than regular breadcrumbs, so I use it in both the meatballs and the topping. Toasted in butter until golden and scattered over at the end, it brings back the crunch of a breaded chicken parm cutlet, which is what makes these taste like the real thing.
- Marinara sauce: A 24 oz jar of Rao’s marinara or tomato basil sauce is my go-to here because it keeps this a weeknight dinner, and since the meatballs finish cooking in the sauce, it flavours them from the outside in. I stir in a little dried oregano and chili flakes to give it a bit more depth and a gentle warmth. If you’d rather make your own, my chunky tomato sauce works too.
How To Make Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
1. Roll the meatballs: Ground chicken makes a soft, sticky mixture, so wet your hands before rolling and the mixture won’t stick to them. Roll it into golf ball-sized meatballs and you should end up with 18.
2. Sear, then simmer: The meatballs only need a quick sear until they’re golden on each side, since they don’t need to be cooked through yet. They finish cooking as they gently simmer in the marinara, which I season with a little oregano and chili flakes.
3. Toast the panko: While the meatballs simmer, stir the panko in the butter often and take it off the heat as soon as it’s evenly golden brown. Set it aside until the very end so it stays crunchy.
4. Melt the cheese: Scatter the mozzarella all over the meatballs and sauce, then watch it closely under the broiler and pull it out as soon as the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Tips For Making the Best Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Toast the breadcrumbs separately: The first time I tested these, I rolled the meatballs in breadcrumbs before searing them, hoping for that breaded chicken parm crust. Once they simmered in the sauce, the coating turned to mush. Toasting the panko in butter separately and scattering it over at the very end gives you that golden crunch, and it stays that way.
- Put the cheese on top, not inside: I also tried tucking a cube of mozzarella inside each meatball, but melting the cheese over the top is what actually tastes like chicken parm. You get a layer of bubbly mozzarella in every bite instead of a hidden pocket of cheese.
Ways To Customize These Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Gluten Free: Use gluten free panko breadcrumbs in both the meatballs and the topping.
- Homemade Sauce: Swap the jarred marinara for my chunky tomato sauce, blended smooth if you prefer.
- Ground Turkey: Ground turkey is a great swap for the chicken, and in my experience it often makes even more moist meatballs.
How To Store & Reheat
Storage: Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the toasted panko in its own container at room temperature so it stays crunchy.
Freezing: I like to make a double batch and freeze half for a quick dinner later. Freeze the meatballs in their sauce, before adding the mozzarella, in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Reheating: Thaw frozen meatballs in the fridge first. Reheat the meatballs and sauce in an oven-safe pan on the stove for about 8-10 minutes, until warmed through, adding a splash of chicken stock to thin out the sauce. Then top with mozzarella, broil until melted and bubbly, and finish with the toasted panko.
If you make these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lbs ground chicken (not lean or extra lean)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Toasted Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Sauce
- 2 cups marinara sauce/jarred tomato sauce
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp chili flakes
To Finish
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs except the olive oil. With wet hands, roll the mixture into 18 golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned. They don’t need to be cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the marinara sauce, oregano and chili flakes to the pan. Arrange the meatballs in the sauce and gently simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko and stir frequently for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.
- Turn the oven to broil. Scatter the shredded mozzarella all over the meatballs and sauce. Transfer to the oven and broil, watching closely, until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.
- Sprinkle the toasted panko over the top and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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