Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

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Mamma mia! It’s a meet-cute between two classics: Enjoy the flavors of chicken parm rolled up into juicy meatballs.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Recipe
Photo: Antonis Achilleos
Hands On Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Yield:
4 serves

These meatballs are bursting with flavor—Parmesan, parsley, and garlic—and slathered with marinara and melty provolone. What could be better? They pair perfectly with spaghetti squash for a healthy take on pasta, but let’s be real, regular noodles would work here, too.

Shopping tip: Look for ground chicken that isn’t all white meat, since a mixture of white and dark will ensure moist, tender meatballs.

Ingredients

  • 1 1½-pound spaghetti squash, halved crosswise and seeded

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

  • 1 pound ground chicken

  • ½ cup Italian-style bread crumbs

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 3 cloves garlic, grated

  • 1 25-ounce jar marinara sauce

  • 1 ounce sliced provolone cheese (about 5 slices)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Rub cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon oil; season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place, cut sides down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Scrape out flesh with a fork (discarding skin), creating spaghetti-like strands.

  2. While squash bakes, mix chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, egg, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl; shape into 16 balls.

  3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook meatballs, turning once, until browned, about 4 minutes total. Return all meatballs to skillet.

  4. Pour marinara over meatballs and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Top with provolone and transfer to oven; bake until a thermometer inserted in the middle of a meatball registers 165 F and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with spaghetti squash.

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