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Chicken Meatball Parm

Classic Chicken Parmesan, but with meatballs! A simple marinara sauce, melty cheese and the addition of spinach makes this an easy and tasty meal, any day of the week. Serve with pasta, rice, or even gnocchi. These will become your favourite meatball!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword marinara sauce, meatballs, pasta, provolone cheese
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Meatballs, can be made in advance

  • 2 lb ground chicken, not ultra lean
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, or fresh breadcrumbs, can be gluten free
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp onion flakes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dry chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 3/4 tsp ground black pepper, or more to taste
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, or more if needed
  • 2 tbsp milk, or more if needed

Marinara Sauce, can be made in advance, makes about 3 cups

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • I medium yellow onion, small diced
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • I large 28 oz (796 ml) can or jar of pureed tomatoes, or whole tomatoes crushed in a blender
  • 2 tbsp butter cubed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, optional
  • salt and pepper
  • chilli flakes

Assemble

  • 2 cups fresh spinach, finely shredded with a knife
  • 8 oz spaghetti, or pasta of choice
  • 4 oz melting cheese like Mozzarella, Fontina or Provolone, shaved into thin slices or grated, as desired
  • 2-4 tbsp parmesan cheese for finishing
  • cracked black pepper for finishing

Instructions

Meatballs

  1. Combine the chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion flakes, paprika, chilli flakes, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Use your finger tips to mix until JUST combined, no further, don't overwork the meat.
  2. In a separate small bowl combine the egg, olive oil and milk. Pour this over the meat mixture. Combine gentlyand let it sit for 10 minutes. This will allow the bread to soak up the liquid and will help you determine if more liquid is needed. The mixture shouldn't be dry or too stiff. If needed, add a little more olive oil and milk.
  3. Form a small portion into a disk about the size of a quarter and sauté in a small pan with oil over medium high heat till golden on both sides. Let it cool slightly and then taste it. If you like the flavour, then move on to the next step. If not, adjust any seasonings now.
  4. Pat the mixture down level, and then use the back of your hand to divide the top into four equal portions. Each portion should give you about 7 average sized meatballs. If you want to turn one quadrant into soup meatballs, then you should be able to get about 21 meatballs from it.
  5. Have one or two baking sheets covered with wax paper ready to go.
  6. Wetting your hands periodically, roll the meat mixture into golf sized balls and place onto the wax paper. Once you have used up all the mixture, you can now freeze the meatballs. Once frozen transfer the meatballs to freezer bags. If you want to use some right away, set aside 12 for the Chicken Meatball Parm.

  7. Set these onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a 400F oven on the centre rack till 165F is reached in the interior of the meatballs. An instant read thermometer is your friend here, you don't want to overcook chicken meatballs of any kind, or else they will dry out. This should take between 20-25 minutes depending on your oven. If you want a bit more colour, just place under the broiler for a few minutes, keeping your eye on them. These can be baked off ahead of time and stored in the fridge till ready to bake with the sauce and cheese. Bring back to room temperature before proceeding

Marinara Sauce

  1. Add the olive oil to a pot heated over medium high heat. Sauté the diced onion for 3 minutes, stirring to keep from scorching. You don't want them to turn brown, adjust the heat if necessary. Add the garlic and stir through for another 2 minutes.

  2. Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning. thyme and basil and stir through to coat the onion. Pour in the puréed tomatoes. Stir and bring to a gentle bubble. Add the butter and bay leaf. Reduce the heat and let it simmer and thicken with the lid only slightly on. Or use a splatter guard. After 20 minutes, stir in the parmesan cheese, if using. After another 15 minutes, stir through the salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Taste and re-season if desired. This can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge till needed.

To assemble the Chicken Meatball Parm

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Have the baked meatballs at room temperature if you pre-baked them in advance. Warm the sauce to bubbling on the stove top before the next step.

  2. Spray a baking dish or skillet with non stick spray. Pour in about 2 cups of the marinara sauce. Scatter 1 cup of the thinly sliced baby spinach on top and stir through.

  3. Place the meatballs into the sauce gently. Place the cheese evenly over all the meatballs. Scatter another 1/2 cup of the spinach over the cheese.

  4. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake till the cheese is bubbling and browned, about 15 minutes. Finish under the broiler for extra melty browned goodness.

  5. While the meatballs are baking, prepare the spaghetti according to the package directions.

  6. Drain.

  7. Divide the pasta between four plates, Serve the meatballs on or next to the pasta, spooning some of the sauce over the pasta. Finish with a grating of parmesan cheese, and sprinkle the remaining spinach evenly between the plates. Grind some pepper over it all if desired.
  8. See blog article for more details and ideas.

Recipe Notes

Count on 2 oz of pasta per person. If you made the meatballs the larger size, 3 or maybe 4 will be enough, depending on who you are feeding!
Leftovers are easily stored in a container and reheated in covered skillet or 300F oven.

Depending on how much everyone likes sauce, you can keep the rest of the sauce warm ready to serve.  If not, store in a sealed container and use in soup, stew or with leftover meatballs.

Smaller meatballs will take less time in the oven.  Or you can just brown them in a skillet and finish cooking them in soup or sauce as desired.