Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Recipe

There are some dishes that are just perfect the way they are — like chicken Alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, and a creamy macaroni and cheese, for example. Another is undoubtedly chicken parmesan, known for its crispy breaded chicken breast smothered in savory tomato sauce and baked under gooey cheese. No matter how many additions you add to it to take it to the next level, the classic, crunchy breaded chicken is never better than its original recipe. Of course, we can't all be eating fried chicken cutlets on the daily, so sometimes flipping a recipe on its head can be an even better way to enjoy it.

I developed this chicken parmesan meatball recipe to be an easy, unique way to eat chicken parmesan without needing to bread and fry any chicken. The meatballs (which can be cooked in the skillet or baked in the oven) are protein-packed and positively juicy, since they absorb the flavorful homemade sauce while simmering in the skillet. The sauce, which is my favorite way to make Italian-style tomato sauce, is deep in flavor, tasting like it has been simmering for hours. In reality, though, this meal takes less than an hour to prepare and serves a crowd, making it the perfect weeknight dinner or Sunday feast.

To make the meatballs, you'll need to grab ground chicken, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, an egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Keep the parmesan, garlic, and seasonings handy to make the sauce, for which you'll also need onion, tomato paste, and dry red wine. I like cooking with cabernet sauvignon, but there are many great red wines to cook with, such as merlot or pinot noir. From there, you just need a large can of whole peeled tomatoes, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a bowl, combine the chicken, breadcrumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Roll the meatballs into 1-inch balls.

In a heat-proof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.

Add meatballs and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet along with the onion. Saute to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons minced garlic and stir.

Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook until beginning to caramelize, about 3 minutes.

Deglaze with the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, crushing by hand or with a spatula while adding to the pot. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Add the meatballs back to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Cover and cook for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.

Top the meatballs with the remaining 1 cup Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Transfer to the oven and cook until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Top the meatballs with parsley to serve.

• Homemade Garlic Bread Recipe
• Homemade 4-Cheese Ravioli Recipe
• Easy Garlic And Herb Breadsticks Recipe
• Everyday Salad With Herby Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

The meatballs in this recipe are made with ground chicken to replicate chicken parmesan, which also makes them slightly leaner than the typical beef and pork meatballs used in similar dishes. If you don't like chicken or simply want to switch it up, you can swap out the protein pretty easily. For example, you can use beef, pork, or a mixture of both for a more savory, juicy, beefy meatball that pairs well on spaghetti or inside of hoagie sandwiches.

You can also use a leaner protein like ground turkey to make the meatballs. Similarly to chicken, ground turkey can be dry when cooked, even when simmered in a sauce. To avoid this, I recommend adding milk to the meatball mixture, either in the form of a panade or directly into the mixture itself. This adds fat into the meatball, leading to a much more moist and juicy result. You can also swap the breadcrumbs for oats for a juicier meatball, a trick that is useful for making meatballs gluten-free.

As mentioned, turkey and chicken can both make dry meatballs. Leaner meats than beef and pork, the two lack the fat content to make juicy meatballs that hold moisture. One way to prevent this is to add fat to the meatball –- in this recipe, the parmesan helps add moisture to the meatball, melting into the meat and adding some much-needed fat. You can also mix a splash of milk into the breadcrumbs to make a panade, or splash the milk directly into the meatball mixture.

This recipe is also designed to keep the chicken moist. By searing in the skillet, the chicken meatballs cook quickly and can be removed before overcooking occurs. That way, the meatballs can stay juicy by simmering in the tomato sauce, where they continue cooking until done. You could, in theory, cook the meatballs entirely in tomato sauce, but it both takes longer and results in less browning, which offers flavor, as well.

• Crispy And Saucy Chicken Parmesan Recipe
• Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti Recipe
• Parmesan-Crusted Fried Chicken Breast Recipe
• Chicken Parmesan Sliders Recipe
• Hoagie-Style Chicken Parmesan Sandwich Recipe