These incredible Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are the perfect weeknight dinner! Made with plenty of fresh herbs, spices, and delicious melty cheese.

The BEST Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Ok, these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are just special! Ever since I first tested this recipe both me and my husband have not been able to stop making it. These meatballs have become one of our favorite weeknight dinners and I’m pretty sure they’ll continue to be on repeat.

If you love chicken parmesan then you are going to love this recipe! The perfectly seasoned chicken meatballs are covered in marina, topped with mozzarella cheese, and then baked until the cheese is gooey melty and perfect. Serve alongside perfectly cooked pasta for a filling and delicious dinner.

This recipe takes just a little bit of prep but is still easy to make. It’s filling, satisfying, and the leftovers taste great the next day. I know you’ll love it!

Watch How to Make This Recipe

More Reader Favorite Meatball Recipes

Get all of our reader favorite meatball recipes, here!

chicken parmesan meatball ingredients

Meatball Recipe Ingredients

Ground Chicken: for these meatballs we’re using ground chicken. I prefer to use dark meat ground chicken but you’re welcome to use ground chicken breast instead.

Garlic and Onion: to give those meatballs an instant flavor boost we’re adding in a bit of grated onion and fresh garlic.

Fresh Herbs and Seasoning: fresh basil and parsley plus dried Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes help to really give these meatballs the best flavor.

Egg: you’ll need one large egg to help bind the ground chicken meatball mixture together.

Parmesan Cheese: we’re adding a bit of grated parmesan cheese to the meatballs which helps to add flavor and keep them nice and juicy.

Almond Flour: typically meatballs include breadcrumbs but to keep these gluten free this recipe uses almond flour instead. If you have a nut allergy I’ve included some options for you, below.

Marinara Sauce: to keep things easy you can use your favorite jarred marinara sauce for this recipe. This is my very favorite jarred marinara sauce.

Mozzarella Cheese: For that delicious layer of melty cheese you’ll add some fresh slices of mozzarella on top of the meatballs before baking.

Pasta: My favorite way to serve these meatballs is over a steaming bowl of perfectly cooked pasta! Spaghetti is always a great option but you can use whatever shape you prefer. You can also use you your favorite gluten free pasta if you like.

meatball mixture ingredients in bowl

Ingredients Substitutions

  • Ground Chicken – don’t have any ground chicken on hand? you can swap it for ground turkey instead.
  • Almond Flour – swap the almond flour for traditional Italian breadcrumbs if you prefer to not use almond flour. If you need to keep this recipe gluten free then you can use gluten free breadcrumbs.
  • Cheese – dairy free grated parmesan and mozzarella can both be subbed for traditional dairy cheeses if you prefer.
  • Pasta – you can swap the pasta for zucchini noodles if that works better for you!

Helpful Kitchen Tools

cooked meatballs in skillet

How to Make Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Step One: Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

Step Two: Now make the meatballs. Add the ground chicken, whisked egg, garlic, onion, basil, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt pepper, parmesan, almond flour, and red pepper flakes to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix together until well combined. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop and roll the meat mixture into meatballs. You should be able to make around 20 meatballs.

Step Three: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add the olive oil and then add the meatballs to the skillet and cook for 2-4 minutes until golden and then flip and cook another 2 minutes. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Once the meatballs have browned, remove them from skillet.

Step Four: Remove the skillet from the heat and wipe down or rinse to remove any browned bits. Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Top the meatballs with the sliced mozzarella cheese.

Step Five: Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges of the skillet are bubbly. If desired, turn the oven to low broil and let cook for 2-3 minutes to help the cheese brown a bit.

Step Six: Remove the skillet from the oven and top with a more grated parmesan and additional fresh parsley and basil. Serve the meatballs and sauce with the cooked pasta of your choice. Enjoy!

chicken parmesan meatballs in skillet

My Favorite Make Ahead Tip

Prep the meatballs in advance! There are a few really easy and helpful ways to do this so that you can save even more time in the kitchen.

  • Make a double batch of the meatball mixture – you can easily make a double batch of the ground chicken meatball mixture and then freeze half for a later date.
  • Prep and freeze the meatballs – want to save even more time? Prep and roll the meatballs, place on a large sheet pan and then freeze for 30-45 minutes. Once the meatballs have hardened, transfer them to a freezer safe storage container. When it’s time to cook you can either cook the meatballs from frozen or let them thaw before cooking.
  • Cook and freeze the meatballs – another option is to prep and then fully cook the meatballs before freezing. When you are ready to use them, just remove from the freezer and let the meatballs simmer in the marinara sauce until heated through. Once hot, transfer the meatballs to the oven to finish baking.

Storage Instructions

Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or simmer on the stove top until the meatballs are heated through.

chicken parmesan meatballs over pasta in bowl

More Delicious Recipes

I hope you give these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs a try! They are so easy to make and delicious! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! 

Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

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chicken parmesan meatballs over pasta in bowls

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 18 reviews
  • Author: Ashlea Carver
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop & Oven
  • Cuisine: Italian Inspired
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These incredible Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are the perfect weeknight dinner! Made with plenty of fresh herbs, spices, and delicious melty cheese.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced or grated yellow onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 25 oz marinara sauce
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds
  • cooked pasta, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Make the meatballs: Add the ground chicken, whisked egg, garlic, onion, basil, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt pepper, parmesan, almond flour, and red pepper flakes to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix together until well combined. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop and roll the meat mixture into meatballs. You should be able to make around 20 meatballs.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add the olive oil and then add the meatballs to the skillet and cook for 2-4 minutes until golden and then flip and cook another 2 minutes. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Once the meatballs have browned, remove them from skillet.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat and wipe down or rinse to remove any browned bits. Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Top the meatballs with the sliced mozzarella cheese.
  5. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges of the skillet are bubbly. If desired, turn the oven to low broil and let cook for 2-3 minutes to help the cheese brown a bit.
  6. Remove the skillet from the oven and top with a more grated parmesan and additional fresh parsley and basil.
  7. Serve the meatballs and sauce with the cooked pasta of your choice. Enjoy!

Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: THE MINDFUL HAPA

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23 Comments

  1. Tamela Lively says:

    These meatballs are easy and DE-LI-CIOUS! They’re versatile, too. I’ve prepared them as shown here, but they’re just as good served with something as simple as rice. (You know, when you want a reallyyyy easy dinner!) Bonus – they also make a good lunch/meal prep option!






    1. Natalie Perkins (ATHT) says:

      I’m so glad you loved this one, Tamela! Thanks for leaving a review!

  2. Easy recipe and they came out great. Served over spaghetti squash to save some calories 🙂






    1. Ashlea Carver says:

      Sounds delicious, Brandy! thanks for taking the time to leave a review!