Description
This One Pan Chicken Meatballs recipe offers a quick and delicious dinner solution featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in rich marinara sauce and topped with bubbly melted mozzarella cheese. Perfectly seasoned and baked in one skillet, it makes cleanup a breeze while delivering comforting Italian-inspired flavors that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (preferably Italian seasoned)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce & Topping
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, egg, minced garlic, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix Meatball Mixture: Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Take care not to overwork the mixture to avoid making the meatballs tough.
- Test Seasoning: Take a small amount of the mixture and cook it in a skillet to taste for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.
- Shape Meatballs: Shape the mixture into meatballs about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. This should yield approximately 20 meatballs.
- Heat Oil & Brown: In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add meatballs in batches without overcrowding the pan.
- Brown Meatballs: Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
- Remove Meatballs: Take the browned meatballs out of the skillet and place them on a plate.
- Add Marinara Sauce: Pour the marinara sauce into the same skillet, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon for extra flavor.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Return Meatballs to Sauce: Nestle the meatballs into the sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged for even cooking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the meatballs and sauce.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Rest: Let the meatballs sit for a few minutes after baking to cool slightly and allow the cheese to set.
- Serve: Using a large spoon, carefully scoop the meatballs with some marinara sauce onto serving plates.
- Garnish: Garnish with fresh basil leaves for added color and flavor.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- Cooking the seasoning test meatball first helps ensure perfect flavor.
- You can use an oven-safe skillet or transfer to a baking dish after browning.
- Ensure meatballs are mostly submerged in sauce during baking for even cooking.
- Fresh basil garnish enhances presentation but is optional.
