Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

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An Easy Twist on Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs take everything we love about Chicken Parmesan and turn it into one big pan of cheesy, saucy meatballs.

These are made with ground chicken, crushed Caesar croutons, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella and a few simple pantry seasonings.

The meatballs get a quick head start in the oven before marinara is added. Then everything bakes together before the whole dish gets covered in mozzarella and finished until hot and bubbly.

They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but they’re also one of those meals that reheats beautifully and can be made ahead.

Serve them with pasta.

Put them on mashed potatoes.

Make a Chicken Parmesan meatball sandwich.

Or stand over the baking dish with a fork. I have tested all these options for you. It is my Tipsy duty.

We Are a Meatball Family

I make meatballs all the time.

My Best Ever Meatballs are probably one of the recipes I make most often, but I’m always looking for another excuse to roll some kind of meat into a ball.

There’s just something convenient about meatballs.

They’re portioned, the reheat well. You can easily freeze these. Kids will USUALLY like them. They can be served a lot of different ways.

And when you’re staring at a package of ground meat wondering what on earth you’re going to make for dinner, meatballs are usually a pretty good answer. Everyone loves a meatball.

Why Ground Chicken Works So Well Here

Ground chicken is mild, which is exactly what I want for this recipe.

It picks up the flavors of the Caesar croutons, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and marinara without competing with them.

If you haven’t cooked with ground chicken very often, there’s one thing you need to know.

It’s sticky.

VERY sticky.

It can also feel much softer than ground beef or sausage when you’re forming it.

That does not mean you’ve done anything wrong. Do not panic.

The croutons, egg and cheese help bind everything together, and letting the mixture rest helps even more.

Don’t Buy Ground Chicken and Forget About It

Ground chicken isn’t something I would buy on Sunday and decide to cook the following Saturday.

USDA recommends using or freezing raw ground poultry within 1 to 2 days of purchase.

So if your dinner plans change, put it in the freezer rather than letting that package hang around in the refrigerator all week.

Caesar Croutons Are the Secret Ingredient

This is probably my favorite thing about this recipe.

Instead of plain breadcrumbs, I use an entire 5-ounce package of Caesar croutons.

The croutons do two jobs.

First, they’re dry bread, so they help give the meatballs structure and absorb moisture.

Second, they’re already seasoned.

You’ve got garlic, herbs and all that Caesar-style flavor already built right into your meatball binder.

This is why we don’t need fourteen different seasoning jars to make these taste good. For those of us who do not have an extensive spice cabinet, this is a perfect recipe.

Crush Those Croutons REALLY Well

This step is pretty important.

You don’t want giant pieces of crouton hiding inside your meatballs.

Crush them into fairly fine crumbs. This will make the texture of your meatballs perfect.

You can put the bag on the counter and crush them with a rolling pin or meat mallet.

You can put them into a zip-top bag first.

Or pulse them briefly in a food processor or blender.

We’re looking for something that resembles coarse breadcrumbs rather than crouton crunch.

Can I Use Breadcrumbs Instead?

Yes.

But remember that the Caesar croutons aren’t JUST breadcrumbs.

They’re also contributing flavor. Plus most of the seasonings.

If you substitute plain breadcrumbs or panko, you’ll probably want to increase the Italian seasoning and perhaps add a little extra garlic and Parmesan. You can season and taste.

You can also use Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs.

I would start with less than the full five ounces and add enough to give the ground chicken structure without making it dry.

The exact amount can vary because breadcrumbs absorb moisture differently than crushed croutons.

This is one reason I like the crouton trick.

It takes a lot of the guesswork out. This is especially helpful to those of you new to cooking.

Don’t Automatically Add Salt

Remember what we’re putting into these meatballs.

Caesar croutons.

Parmesan.

Mozzarella.

Marinara.

Those ingredients already contain salt.

This is why the original recipe doesn’t have you dumping additional salt into the ground chicken mixture.

Taste the finished dish first.

You can always add salt to your plate.

You can’t get it back out of twelve meatballs. Reminder that something being too salty is very hard to fix.

The Cheese Goes INSIDE the Meatballs Too

This isn’t just a pan of chicken meatballs with cheese dumped on top.

The meatball mixture itself gets:

1/4 cup Parmesan

AND

1 cup shredded mozzarella

That cheese helps give the chicken meatballs flavor and richness from the inside.

Then we add MORE mozzarella later.

We’re making Chicken Parmesan. Do not be afraid of the cheese.

Pre-Shredded Versus Freshly Shredded Mozzarella

I actually use both in this recipe.

I’m perfectly happy using pre-shredded mozzarella inside the meatball mixture.

It’s convenient, and it works. It also saves time for a busy weeknight.

For the cheese that goes over the top of the baking dish, however, I prefer buying a block of mozzarella and shredding it myself.

Freshly shredded cheese tends to melt more smoothly.

And this is the cheese everyone is going to SEE.

We want bubbly. The browned little cheese spots on top are what makes this dish look drool worthy.

Skip the Low-Fat Mozzarella Here

When I want cheese to melt beautifully over a casserole or baking dish, low-fat mozzarella isn’t usually my first choice.

Regular low-moisture mozzarella gives you the creamy melt and stretch I want for these meatballs.

Save the low-fat cheese for another day.

Today we’re making a pan of Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and they need the fat to survive.

How to Mix Ground Chicken Meatballs

Add the ground chicken to a large bowl.

Add your finely crushed Caesar croutons, onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

Whisk the egg separately and add it along with the Parmesan and mozzarella.

Then mix.

I find clean hands easiest. if you wet your hands a little bit, the mixture won’t stick as badly.

You can also use a sturdy spoon.

The important thing is not to stand there squeezing and kneading the mixture for five minutes.

Mix until everything looks evenly distributed.

Then stop. You do not want over-mixed meatballs.

What If My Chicken Meatball Mixture Feels Sticky?

It probably will. I cannot lie to you.

Ground chicken naturally has a softer, stickier texture than ground beef.

You can lightly wet your hands or coat them with a tiny bit of olive oil before rolling.

That makes shaping the meatballs much easier.

I would NOT immediately start dumping additional breadcrumbs into the mixture just because it’s sticky.

Too much dry binder can give you dense meatballs. You will not like this texture.

How Big Should the Meatballs Be?

The original recipe makes approximately 12 meatballs from one pound of ground chicken.

I originally described these as approximately 3-inch balls.

The important thing isn’t getting out a ruler.

The important thing is making them reasonably similar in size.

If one meatball is the size of a golf ball and another is the size of a grapefruit, they’re not going to finish cooking at the same time.

Aim for approximately 12 generous, evenly sized meatballs.

You can make them smaller.

Just remember: Smaller meatballs cook faster. Bigger balls cook slower.

Let the Meatballs Rest

Once you’ve rolled the meatballs and placed them in the oiled baking dish, let them sit for approximately 10 to 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating.

This gives the crushed croutons a little time to absorb moisture from the chicken and egg.

It also helps the mixture firm up before cooking.

Don’t skip this and then yell at me because you immediately threw wet chicken balls into marinara and they fell apart.

Give them a minute.

Literally. Well, actually ten minutes.

Why I Par-Bake the Meatballs

This is another important part of the method.

I don’t put the raw meatballs directly into three cups of marinara.

They first get approximately 15 minutes in the oven without the sauce.

This helps the outside begin to set. This is especially important when using chicken since it is a softer meat.

Then when we add the marinara, the meatballs are much less likely to fall apart when they’re surrounded by sauce.

Think of it as giving them a little armor before sending them swimming. Or whatever…lol

Use a Marinara You Like

There are very few places for a bad tomato sauce to hide in this recipe.

The sauce is a major component.

Use one you actually enjoy.

When I first made this recipe, I tried Cento Marinara because it was on sale.

I even had a can of tomato sauce sitting nearby because I wasn’t sure whether the jar would give me enough sauce.

It did.

I ended up not needing the canned tomato sauce at all.

That is why you’ll see it in one of the original ingredient photos even though it isn’t in the recipe.

Recipe testing in real life. I told you guys I show you how I really cook everyday and I am not a recipe test kitchen.

How Much Marinara Do I Need?

The recipe uses approximately 3 cups marinara sauce.

That’s enough to surround the meatballs and give you sauce for serving.

I also use my old jar trick.

After pouring the marinara out, add a LITTLE water to the empty jar.

Put the lid back on.

Shake it.

Pour that into the baking dish.

Now you got all the sauce you paid for.

I’m not leaving three tablespoons of perfectly good marinara stuck to a jar.

Don’t Drown the Meatballs

You want sauce around the meatballs.

You don’t need to completely submerge them.

The tops can peek out.

Remember that we’re eventually covering everything with mozzarella.

We want a saucy casserole, not chicken meatball soup.

Cook Ground Chicken to 165°F

This is the most important update I’m making to the original recipe instructions.

Ground poultry needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

The original recipe gives you cooking times, and those are still useful as a GUIDE.

But the size of your meatballs matters along with your oven and the baking dish you use.

If you roll 20 little meatballs, they will cook differently than 12 large ones. I keep bringing this up, so you realize how this is important.

Use an instant-read thermometer and check one of the larger meatballs in the center of the pan.

Once the chicken reaches 165°F, it’s safely cooked.

We Don’t Need to Bake These Forever

The original method was:

Par-bake.

Add sauce and bake.

Add cheese and bake again.

We’re keeping that method because it works really well.

But we’re going to be smarter about the final timing.

After the initial par-bake, add your sauce and continue baking.

Start checking the temperature rather than automatically assuming the meatballs need every minute listed on the clock.

Once they’re approaching 165°F, add the mozzarella.

Then return the dish to the oven just long enough for the meatballs to finish cooking and the cheese to become hot and bubbly.

That gives us safely cooked chicken without unnecessarily drying it out. They will be perfect.

Now Cover Everything With Mozzarella

This is where Chicken Parmesan really arrives.

Once the meatballs have cooked in the sauce, cover the top with freshly shredded mozzarella.

It looks like a lot of cheese.

That’s because it IS a lot of cheese. This is what we want.

The original recipe uses approximately 3 cups mozzarella over the top.

This creates that cheesy baked layer that makes the whole dish feel like Chicken Parmesan rather than meatballs sitting in spaghetti sauce.

Get That Cheese Bubbly

Return the pan to the oven until the mozzarella is completely melted and bubbling and the meatballs have reached 165°F.

If your chicken is already at temperature but you want a little more color on the cheese, you can briefly put the dish under the broiler.

WATCH IT. This can go bad quickly.

This is not the time to unload the dishwasher and answer three text messages.

Cheese goes from beautifully browned to cremated surprisingly quickly.

Let Them Rest Before Serving

Give the baking dish approximately 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Everything has been bubbling in the oven.

The sauce needs a minute to settle.

The cheese needs a minute to stop behaving like molten lava. It will be hard not to take a taste test, but you will scald your mouth. Ask me how I know.

And your meatballs will be easier to serve without falling apart.

Turn Them Into Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs

PLEASE do this with your leftovers.

Split a sturdy Italian roll.

Add a few warm Chicken Parmesan Meatballs.

Spoon over extra marinara.

Add more mozzarella or provolone if you’re feeling ambitious.

Then put the sandwich under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bread gets a little toasty.

This is not sad leftover night.

This is an entirely different dinner that everyone will be excited about. Add a bag of frozen french fries and it will get really exciting.

Make Smaller Meatballs for Sandwiches

If you already know you’re planning to make sandwiches, consider rolling the meatballs a little smaller.

They’ll sit inside a roll much more easily.

Just remember that smaller meatballs will cook faster.

Again:

THERMOMETER.

Not blind allegiance to the timer. Food safety is important.

These Are Great for Meal Prep

One of the reasons I love meatballs is how well they work for meal prep.

Make the pan on Sunday.

Serve some for dinner.

Use leftovers for lunches.

Make sandwiches later in the week.

Freeze some for another time.

You can get several completely different meals out of one batch.

A Great Meal to Bring Someone

This is also a really nice meal for someone who could use dinner dropped off.

New baby.

Illness.

Surgery.

Busy family.

Someone going through a rough week.

Put the meatballs in a disposable baking pan, add a loaf of garlic bread and maybe a bagged salad.

Dinner is handled. This is always appreciated.

And unlike some casseroles, people immediately understand what they’re looking at.

Cheesy meatballs.

That’s an easy sell. They will be so grateful and happy.

Can I Make Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Ahead?

Yes.

You have a couple of options.

You can mix and shape the meatballs earlier in the day, cover them and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to bake.

Or you can completely cook the recipe, refrigerate it and reheat it later.

If you’re assembling raw ground chicken meatballs ahead, keep them properly refrigerated and don’t leave them sitting on the counter.

How to Store Leftovers

Cool the leftovers and refrigerate them in a covered container within two hours.

Cooked chicken leftovers are best used within 3 to 4 days.

I like storing the meatballs WITH the sauce because the marinara helps keep them moist when reheated.

How to Reheat Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

For several meatballs, put them into a covered baking dish with plenty of sauce and gently reheat them in the oven.

For one or two meatballs, the microwave is perfectly fine.

Add a little extra marinara if they look dry.

USDA recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F.

Can I Freeze Chicken Parmesan Meatballs?

Absolutely.

Meatballs are one of my favorite things to freeze.

I prefer freezing them cooked.

Let the meatballs cool, portion them with some marinara into freezer-safe containers and freeze.

You can also freeze individual portions so you aren’t thawing an entire pan when you only want lunch.

For best quality, USDA recommends using cooked chicken from the freezer within about four months.

Freeze Them WITHOUT All the Mozzarella

If you know ahead of time that most of this batch is going into the freezer, here’s another option.

Cook the meatballs and sauce.

Cool and freeze them WITHOUT adding the giant final layer of mozzarella.

Then when you’re ready to serve, thaw the meatballs safely in the refrigerator, reheat them and add freshly shredded mozzarella before putting them back into the oven.

That gives you a fresher cheesy topping.

Can I Use Ground Turkey?

Yes.

Ground turkey would work with these same flavors.

Just like ground chicken, ground turkey is poultry and should be cooked to 165°F.

The flavor will be slightly different, but marinara, Parmesan, mozzarella and Caesar-seasoned crumbs are pretty forgiving companions.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes.

For a larger family or meal prep, this is a great recipe to double.

I would use two baking dishes rather than packing twice as many meatballs tightly into one pan.

Crowding changes how things cook.

Two pans also gives you the option of eating one and freezing one.

Future you will be thrilled.

More Meatball Recipes From The Tipsy Housewife

We are clearly committed to the meatball lifestyle around here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of ground chicken should I use?

Use the ground chicken available at your grocery store.

Ground chicken varies in fat content, so one package may produce a slightly softer or firmer mixture than another.

Why is my ground chicken mixture so sticky?

Ground chicken is naturally soft and sticky.

Lightly wet or oil your hands before rolling rather than immediately adding lots of extra breadcrumbs.

Why do you use Caesar croutons?

They provide both the dried bread needed to help bind the meatballs and lots of built-in seasoning.

Can I use breadcrumbs instead?

Yes.

Italian breadcrumbs are the easiest substitution.

Plain breadcrumbs or panko will also work, but you may want to increase the seasonings because you’re losing the flavor from the Caesar croutons.

Can I use ground turkey?

Yes.

Cook ground turkey meatballs to 165°F just like ground chicken.

Why do the meatballs rest before baking?

The resting time allows the crushed croutons to absorb some of the moisture from the chicken and egg and helps the mixture firm up.

Why do you par-bake the meatballs?

Par-baking gives the outside of the soft chicken meatballs some structure before marinara is added.

This makes them less likely to fall apart in the sauce.

Do I have to par-bake them?

It’s the method I recommend for this recipe.

Ground chicken meatballs are soft, and the short initial bake makes the rest of the recipe much easier.

What temperature should chicken meatballs reach?

Ground chicken meatballs should reach 165°F internally.

Check one of the larger meatballs with an instant-read thermometer.

What marinara sauce should I use?

Use your favorite.

I originally used Cento Marinara and really liked it, but this recipe isn’t dependent on a particular brand.

Do I need the can of tomato sauce shown in the original picture?

No.

That was part of my original recipe testing.

I had it ready in case I needed additional sauce but ended up having plenty of marinara.

Why do you shred the mozzarella yourself?

I prefer freshly shredded mozzarella over the top because I think it melts more smoothly and gives me the bubbly cheesy finish I want.

Can I use pre-shredded mozzarella?

Of course.

I already use it inside the meatball mixture.

If that’s what you have for the topping too, use it.

Can I use less cheese?

Yes.

The original recipe is deliberately VERY cheesy because it’s based on Chicken Parmesan.

You can reduce the amount of mozzarella on top if you prefer.

Can I make smaller meatballs?

Absolutely.

They will cook more quickly, so begin checking their internal temperature sooner.

Can I freeze these?

Yes.

Cooked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs freeze very well.

Freeze them with some marinara to help keep them moist.

How long do leftovers last?

Properly refrigerated cooked chicken leftovers should be used within 3 to 4 days.

What should I serve with Chicken Parmesan Meatballs?

Pasta, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, garlic bread and roasted vegetables are all good choices.

Can I make a sandwich with them?

YES.

Warm the meatballs with marinara, put them into an Italian roll, add cheese and toast until bubbly.

Chicken Parmesan Without All the Work

I love Chicken Parmesan.

I do not always feel like pounding chicken breasts, setting up a breading station, frying chicken and then cleaning up the aftermath.

These meatballs give me those same cozy flavors in a much easier package.

Ground chicken.

Seasoned croutons.

Parmesan.

Marinara.

A truly unnecessary but absolutely wonderful amount of mozzarella.

And because they’re meatballs, I can freeze them, reheat them, put them on pasta, pile them over mashed potatoes or turn tomorrow’s leftovers into one heck of a sandwich.

Sometimes changing the shape of dinner is all it takes to make an old favorite feel new again.