Description
This One Pan Chicken Meatballs recipe offers a delicious and easy dinner solution featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in marinara sauce, topped with melted mozzarella cheese, and baked to perfection in a single skillet. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, it combines Italian-inspired flavors with simple ingredients for a satisfying and hassle-free dish.
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 and 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. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the meatballs tough.
- Taste Test: Take a small amount of the mixture and cook it in a skillet to taste for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Shape Meatballs: Shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. You should get around 20 meatballs from this mixture.
- Heat Skillet & Brown Meatballs: In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the meatballs to the skillet, making sure not to overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
- Brown Meatballs: Cook the meatballs for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
- Remove Meatballs: Remove the browned meatballs from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Add Marinara Sauce: Pour the marinara sauce into the same skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom for added flavor.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Return Meatballs: Nestle the meatballs back into the sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged for even cooking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add Cheese Topping: 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 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 removing them from the oven to allow the cheese to set.
- Serve: Carefully scoop out meatballs with sauce onto plates or a serving platter.
- Garnish: Garnish with fresh basil leaves for a pop of color and flavor.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep the meatballs tender.
- Cooking a test meatball helps adjust seasoning before shaping all meatballs.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer meatballs and sauce to a baking dish before adding cheese and baking.
- Ensure meatballs reach internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Fresh basil garnish adds freshness but is optional.
