Italian-American
Baked Chicken Meatballs
Ground chicken is mixed with Parmesan, garlic, and herbs, then baked until the centers reach 165°F. Marinara warms on the side for dipping or tossing.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Baking on a rack lets fat drip away and browns the meatballs all around.
- Parmesan and garlic season lean chicken without a heavy sauce.
- A thermometer in the center is the doneness test, not a guess at the color.
- They freeze well for later meals.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Thaw the ground chicken in the refrigerator if it was frozen. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with foil, set a rack over it, and brush the rack with the olive oil.
- 2
Mix the ground chicken, panko, egg, Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and parsley until just combined. Do not rinse the ground chicken.
- 3
Roll the mixture into 16 meatballs of the same size. Set them on the rack with space between them.
- 4
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway if they are browning on only one side.
- 5
Check the center of a meatball from the middle of the pan. The meatballs are done when that center reads 165°F and no pink remains. Return the pan for a few minutes if the reading is low.
- 6
Warm the marinara in a small saucepan. Serve the meatballs with the sauce.
Pro tips
- Wet hands roll the mixture without it sticking. Do not compact the balls hard or they turn tough.
- Even sizes matter. One oversized meatball can lag behind the 165°F check.
- A rack is worth it. Meatballs sitting in liquid steam and stay pale.
Easy substitutions
- Ground chicken
- Ground turkey. Cook the centers to 160°F and make sure no pink remains.
- Panko
- Plain breadcrumbs.
- Marinara
- A squeeze of lemon and extra parsley if you want them sauce-free.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze cooked meatballs for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Warm in a covered skillet with the sauce until the center of a meatball reads 165°F.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 318
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Budget friendly · Oven · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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