Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and Linguine 

A New Take on a Classic

Baked chicken parmesan meatballs are all of the delicious flavors of a classic chicken parmesan in the ease of a baked meatball dish! I love that this recipe saves the time and mess of breading and frying chicken, but still has the cheesy, saucy, crispy deliciousness. For this recipe, you’ll form and brown chicken meatballs flavored with garlic and parmesan, simmer a simple, homemade tomato sauce, fry up a crunchy breadcrumb topping, and bake it all together with slices of cheese.

The Supplies

Ingredients

To make these chicken parm meatballs with panko topping, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Yellow onion
• Cloves of garlic
• San Marzano Tomatoes
• Sprigs of basil
• Dried oregano
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Eggs
• Ground chicken
• Unsalted Butter
• Slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese
• Spaghetti
• Lemon zest
• Salt and pepper

For the exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Equipment

In order to make this baked chicken parmesan meatballs, you’ll need the following pieces of equipment:

• Two large, oven-safe frying or saute pans
• Large saucepan or stockpot
• Cutting board and knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Colander
• Microplane
• Wooden mixing and serving spoons
• Kitchen scale (optional)

Frequent Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

• A: Absolutely! The meatballs can be baked, cooled, and then kept in the refrigerator. Just reheat them in the oven until they are warmed through and the cheese has melted. The crunchy parmesan topping can be prepared a few hours in advance and once cooled can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. The topping is best when served day of, but can be served within two days of preparing.

Will this recipe freeze well?

• A: While I think this recipe is best served fresh, parts of it can be frozen and kept for later. The sauce and meatballs can be prepared and frozen in air-tight containers or bags and then reheated in the oven. That said, I would prepare the noodles and crunchy parmesan topping fresh, as they won’t keep as well in the freezer.

Can I substitute the ground chicken?

• A: Yes! The ground chicken can easily be substituted with ground turkey or a mix of pork and beef. Whatever ground protein you have on hand can easily be used in this recipe.

Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe Tips

When making this baked chicken parmesan meatballs, here are a few tips to make sure they’re delicious:

• A general tip when making any pasta dish, try seasoning the noodles before adding the sauce! It adds another layer of flavor and will take any dish to the next level. It can be as simple as a bit of butter, but I like to add some lemon zest to the noodles for an extra special touch.
• When serving long noodles, like spaghetti or fettuccine, it’s easier to use a pair of tongs than try to wrangle the noodles with a spoon or fork. Grab a serving with the tongs, give the tongs a quick twirl, and you’ll have a portion of pasta ready to transfer over to a serving plate.
• Browning meatballs in a pan without having them fall apart can be a bit tricky (speaking from experience). A tip to always keep in mind is to make sure the pan is hot before adding the oil and meatballs. Having a hot pan will reduce the chances of the bottom of the meatballs sticking to the pan while you’re trying to flip them. 
• The second tip when browning meatballs is to not overcrowd the pan. Leaving a couple inches between each one will give you more room to work with. It also allows for more air flow, which lets the steam rise off of the pan and not get trapped underneath the meatballs. If the steam gets trapped, the meatballs will get soft and mushy and not brown and crisp.

Recipe Details

Start the Marinara Sauce

To get this recipe started, heat a large, oven-safe pan with tall sides, over medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil and add the yellow onions. Sweat the onions for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften and become translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and sweat for another minute, until they become fragrant.

Stir the tomato paste into the onions and let them cook until the color deepens to a dark red, stirring occasionally.

Pour the San Marzano tomatoes, and any sauce in the can, into the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes into smaller pieces. Place the basil sprigs, sprinkle the dried oregano, and a large pinch of salt and pepper into the sauce. Simmer the sauce on low while you fry the bread crumbs and meatballs.

Mix the Meatballs

To mix the meatballs, add the panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together, until they are evenly distributed. 

Add the eggs and ground chicken to the bowl and mix everything together. Set aside and let the meat rest and begin frying the crunchy topping.

Fry the Crunchy Topping and Meatballs

Heat a medium or large-sized frying pan over medium heat. Melt the unsalted butter in the pan and add the panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Stir to coat the breadcrumbs in the butter.Fry the breadcrumbs and parmesan in the butter until they become golden brown, stirring often to avoid the parmesan cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a paper towel lined plate, season with salt, and set aside until you’re ready to eat.

Divide the ground meat mixture into 16 equally sized portions (about 2.4-2.7 ounces each). Roll each portion into a ball and set them onto a plate or tray. In the same pan used to make the crunchy topping over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and carefully arrange the chicken meatballs in the pan, leaving about two inches between each. Brown the meatballs for about 5 minutes and then flip each one to brown on the other side for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs into the pan with the tomato sauce. Continue browning the meatballs in batches until all of them are browned on the outside.

Bring it All Together

Remove the basil sprigs from the tomato sauce and stir to coat the chicken meatballs in the sauce. Layer the slices of cheese over the meatballs and sauce. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for about 13 minutes, until the cheese is melty and the meatballs are cooked through.  While the meatballs are in the oven, boil the spaghetti noodles according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and add them back into the pot used to boil them. Add the butter and lemon zest to the noodles. Toss until the butter has melted and lightly coated the noodles.  Serve the chicken meatballs over the noodles. Sprinkle the crunchy parmesan topping over the meatballs. Garnish with extra fresh basil and parmesan cheese. 

If you make this baked chicken parmesan meatballs, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating – I can’t wait to hear how it goes. As always, tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook in your photos. It makes me feel like we’re getting to cook together!

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