Chicken Meatballs (Baked!)

This juicy chicken meatballs recipe makes a deliciously healthy comfort food meal, served up in a tangy marinara sauce. It’s a hearty meal everyone will love! (Vegetarian and vegan options included if you’re serving eaters of different diets.)

Ingredients for chicken meatballs

These chicken meatballs feature ground chicken, which is a budget friendly alternative. In our over 3,000 recipes on this website, this is our first with ground chicken! If you’ve never had chicken meatballs before, you might expect them to taste like ground beef. The flavor is not the same: but it’s uniquely delicious in its own right! Here are the key ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Ground chicken: A budget friendly alternative to chicken breast. If all you have is chicken breast, you can grind it using a food processor (see this reference).
• Egg: Egg is the binder that holds it all together; it’s required here and we don’t recommend an egg substitute.
• Olive oil: Olive oil adds moistness to the texture.
• Panko: These breadcrumbs are another binder that brings together the texture. For gluten-free, use gluten-free panko, crushed crackers, or Old Fashioned rolled oats (chopped roughly with a knife).
• Parmesan cheese: This adds savory flavor to round out the meatballs. If you prefer, you can use a vegan Parmesan cheese for dairy free. You can also use Pecorino Romano for an even saltier, more savory meatball.
• Garlic, oregano, onion powder, smoked paprika: These seasonings form the basis of the flavor profile.

Alterative cooking methods

For this recipe, the chicken meatballs are baked in marinara sauce. This makes an extremely easy way to cook them. Here are a few notes if you’d like to serve them a different way:

• Pan fried: In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot add the meatballs and cook in 2 batches until browned on all sides and cooked through (about 2 minutes each side). Add a little more oil for the second batch, if needed.
• Baked without marinara: Place the meatballs on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F [70°C].) 

Chicken Meatballs (Baked!)

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This juicy chicken meatballs recipe makes a deliciously healthy comfort food meal, served up in a tangy marinara sauce. It’s a hearty meal everyone will love!

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mediterranean diet
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 pound ground chicken (see Notes for doubling)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free panko; see Notes)
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 24 ounces marinara sauce or 1 recipe Homemade Marinara Sauce (or see Notes)
• Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Heat the marinara sauce: In a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat, add the marinara (or stir together the ingredients for the homemade marinara sauce*). Bring to a simmer, then once simmering remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk the egg, then stir in the ground chicken, olive oil, panko, Parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add the chicken and gently mix with your hands until it is well incorporated. Gently form 20 to 21 balls, about 1 1/2-inches [4 cm] wide. Arrange the meatballs in the sauce in the skillet.
4. Cover the skillet (or use foil if you don’t have a lid). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes from the heat when the internal temperature reaches 160°F [68°C] (the meatballs will continue cooking in the pan to 165°F [70°C].) **
5. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the pan from the oven and stir the sauce to coat the meatballs. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Notes

*To double this recipe, pour double the warmed marinara into a 9 x 13 dish and bake as instructed.

**If you can’t find gluten-free panko, you can substitute crushed gluten-free crackers or roughly chopped Old Fashioned rolled oats.

***Alternative cooking methods: Pan fried: In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook in 2 batches until browned on all sides and cooked through (about 2 minutes each side). Add a little more oil for the second batch, if needed. Baked without marinara: Place the meatballs on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F [70°C].)