Chicken Parmesan Meatball Bake is a new take on chicken parm. Ground chicken meatballs are baked in tomato sauce and covered in mozzarella cheese.
Update: This recipe was originally posted in January 2015. The recipe and photos have been improved and republished in October 2022.
I have never been a fan of chicken parmesan in it's classic form, because I don't like the texture that happens when a breaded item is served in a sauce. If you're like me, this recipe is for you.
Tom, who loves chicken parmesan, even likes this recipe because it's a slightly different take on it. And who doesn't love a meatball?
What is Chicken Parmesan Meatball Bake?
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Bake is a healthy chicken parmesan meatball served in a tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese. In classic chicken parm, a chicken cutlet is coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried before being served with sauce and pasta.
The meatballs are made from ground chicken, Parmesan cheese, Panko bread crumbs and other seasonings. They're formed and baked in the oven, then a tomato sauce is prepared and the meatballs are baked in the sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients for this Recipe
- ground chicken
- Panko bread crumbs
- grated Parmesan cheese
- minced garlic
- egg
- onion powder
- dried basil and parsley
- tomato basil pasta sauce (or your preferred sauce)
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions for this recipe
First, preheat the oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack on top. Spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Next, prepare the chicken meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, Parmesan cheese, Panko bread crumbs, garlic, egg, onion powder, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Form into 16 meatballs, about the size of a golf ball each, and place on the prepared rack.
Then, cook the meatballs. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour the pasta sauce into it. Once the meatballs are cooked through, arrange them in even rows in the dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Finally, bake the dish. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese is melted and golden on top. Garnish with additional parsley or basil if desired. Serve meatballs with sauce in a shallow dish.
Serving Suggestions
Why is this recipe so great? Because you can serve the chicken parmesan meatballs on their own, or in a variety of ways such as served over pasta of your choice or over roasted spaghetti squash for a lighter pasta alternative! Or serve with:
- garlic bread or buttered bread
- pile the meatballs and sauce on a sub roll to make a sandwich
- with a garden or Caesar salad
I served this recipe over spaghetti noodles this time, but I also really like it with a side of garlic bread.
FAQ's for oven baked chicken parmesan meatballs
Yes, this recipe freezes nicely! Bake the meatballs, add them to the sauce and then once cooled, freeze. To cook from frozen, thaw in the refrigerator then add cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
Ground chicken is much leaner than ground beef. Make sure you don't overwork the ingredients when forming the meatballs.
I'm sure a homemade sauce would be delicious! I chose a tomato basil sauce, but a spicy arrabiata sauce would be great! Or maybe a veggie filled sauce.
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Recipe
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Bake
Ingredients
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Sauce:
- 24 oz tomato basil pasta sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, for garnish - optional
Instructions
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients - ground chicken through salt and pepper. Form into 16 evenly sized meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.1 lb ground chicken, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ½ cup Panko bread crumbs, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Place the meatballs on the prepared baking rack and bake for 20 minutes, turning the meatballs over half way through the baking.
Sauce and Assembly
- Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the pasta sauce into the dish and spread into an even layer.24 oz tomato basil pasta sauce
- When meatballs are cooked, arrange meatballs in even rows in the pasta sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, if desired.1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- Serve meatballs and sauce in a shallow bowl. Optionally, serve over pasta, spaghetti squash or with garlic bread, on a sub roll, etc.
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