Chicken Parmesan Meatballs feature the flavors and texture of classic chicken parmesan, but converted into bite-sized meatballs, baked in marinara sauce and topped with mozzarella. All made in one skillet, this is a fantastic and easy weeknight dinner.
Easy Skillet Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
If you love classic chicken parmesan, you will love these chicken parmesan meatballs. They’re a fun and equally delicious twist on the old-school favorite where meatballs simmer in aromatic marinara sauce and topped with melty mozzarella, all made in one skillet.
Chicken is much leaner than beef, but cooking the meatballs in the sauce keeps them moist and tender and infuses them with extra flavor, while the coating of Panko bread crumbs gives the exterior a fantastic crunch that plays nicely with the creamy cheese.
Put them on your dinner menu this week. You will love them!
Ingredients Needed
These easy chicken parmesan meatballs require just a handful of ingredients, like ground chicken, breadcrumbs, and cheese.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Ground chicken – The base of the meatballs. If you’re not used to cooking with ground chicken, these meatballs are a great place to start!
- Egg – Helps bind the meatballs together.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Some breadcrumbs are added to the meatball mixture, while the rest is used to coat the outside. Panko really delivers a light crisp coating, avoid traditional breadcrumbs for this dish.
- Parmesan cheese – Gives the meatballs added flavor and helps make them tender.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, dried Italian blend, coarse salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes season the dish
- Olive oil – Used for sautéing the meatballs and getting that golden crust.
- Marinara sauce – The base of the sauce. Either a store bought jar of your favorite brand or use my homemade marinara sauce.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – Sprinkled on top during the last few minutes of baking.
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil – The finishing garnish that adds a touch of flavor and pop of color.
Recipe Variations
- Change the protein. While it wouldn’t be chicken parmesan anymore, you can certainly swap out the ground chicken with ground turkey or beef, if preferred.
- Make it a bit spicy. The marinara sauce can be replaced with Arrabbiata sauce if you’re looking to add a hot kick to the dish.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
There are just a few simple steps to making these easy chicken meatballs. Here’s a summary:
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)
- Make the meatballs. Mix together the ground chicken, egg, Parmesan, some of the breadcrumbs, and seasonings. Use a cookie scoop to form the mixture into 1 & 1/2-inch sized meatballs (you should get 20.) Roll the meatballs in the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Brown in a fry pan. Working in batches if necessary, in a large oven-safe skillet with hot olive oil, brown the meatballs on all sides so they develop a nice crust. Remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add marinara. Wipe the oil out of the skillet, then pour in the marinara sauce. Place the browned meatballs on top of the sauce.
- Finish in the oven. Bake in the oven at 350F for 20 minutes, sprinkling the mozzarella on top during the last 5 minutes.
- Serve. Garnish with the parsley and serve with pasta, garlic bread, or a salad.
Serving Suggestions
This skillet dish is very hearty and filling on its own, but it pairs great with a simple side salad to round out the meal. And nobody would blame you if you wanted some garlic bread for dipping in the sauce. You could also serve them on top of spaghetti just like classic chicken parmesan or spaghetti sauce and meatballs.
Make Ahead and Proper Storage
- Make ahead. Assemble the meatballs, but do not coat them in the breadcrumbs. Store, covered, in the fridge up to 1 day ahead, then coat in the breadcrumbs right before pan frying. To freeze uncooked meatballs, assemble but to do not coat in the bread crumbs. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and freeze, uncovered, until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then coat in bread crumbs right before pan frying.
- Fridge. Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing leftovers. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Note that the exterior will no long be crispy.
- Reheat. Gently reheat leftover meatballs with the sauce in the oven, microwave, or on the stove until warmed through.
More Easy Meatball Recipes:
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Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 & 1/4 cups Panko breadcrumbs , divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 26 ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, egg, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the Panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Form into 1 & 1/2 inch size balls. Roll in the remaining 3/4 cup breadcrumbs.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Place meatballs in the hot pan (cooking in batches, if necessary, so you don’t overcrowd the pan, adding more of the oil if needed as you go) and brown them on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Wipe out the skillet, then pour in the marinara sauce. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, sprinkling the mozzarella on top during the last 5 minutes.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve with pasta, garlic bread, or a salad, if desired.
I did not have ground chicken, but I had boneless, skinless chicken breast. I cut them into bite size chunks and used my food processor to ground up the chicken. I used four large chicken breasts. The dish is so good and the family loved it.
I did not have any ground chicken, so I came up with the idea to make my own ground chicken. Hello chicken breasts and food processor. I used four large boneless and skinless chicken breast cut them up into bite size pieces and Bam I got ground up chicken. Thank you for the recipe, the family loved it.
This was an easy & delicious! I was looking for a semi-healthy recipe for the Super Bowl and this hit the mark. Everyone enjoyed it. I made some lower carb for my husband by eliminating the breadcrumbs. He thought they were great!
I made meatball subs with the leftovers the next day.
These were amazing! Very easy to make as well. I served them over spaghetti. Will definitely make these again.
This beautiful skillet chicken recipe really made our day. Made this for my kid’s tonight, they loved it. The taste is lovely and delicious. I highly recommend your website to everyone.
So easy and delicious. We all loved it and will make again.
Made this tonight for my family and the kitchen smells divine. It tastes even better.
New favorite dinner! Love that the meatballs are chicken so a bit healthier than beef. They were seasoned perfectly.