Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Easy Tomato Sauce
Ready in 30 minutes, these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with an easy tomato sauce are a healthy meal the whole family will love!
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Let’s talk about these chicken parmesan meatballs for a minute. Aside from macaroni and cheese and baked salmon, these meatballs are my kids’ favorite meal. The kind of meal where they ask for seconds and sometimes even thirds. They love these chicken parmesan meatballs as much as my classic meatball recipe, turkey meatballs and Instant Pot Meatballs.
There are both Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses inside the meatballs. Just enough to bring out the flavors of chicken parmesan while still keeping things on the lighter side.
Like my classic Chicken Meatballs recipe, these meatballs are made with ground chicken, so they are lower in fat. I use my cookie scoop to help shape the meatballs. It makes it so easy, and there’s less mess on my hands. I also line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
While the meatballs bake and the pasta cooks, you’ll have time to make my super easy tomato sauce which is similar to this homemade marinara sauce. It takes just minutes and adds another homemade touch to this from scratch meal. Just boil some pasta, add some garlic bread and simple salad and you’ll have a complete meal.
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Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Easy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat pasta, any shape
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup panko crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
For the tomato sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, place all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Use a fork or your hands to mix until well combined. Form into 1-inch round balls and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. (I use a small cookie scoop to make it quick and easy to form the meatballs.)
- Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should read at least 165 on an instant read thermometer.
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the crushed and diced tomatoes, oregano, Italian seasoning, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook sauce at a low simmer while the meatballs cook, stirring occasionally.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over the pasta.
This dish looks SO good, Kristine! I’ve never had chicken parmesan meatballs before, so I’m loving this fun twist! My husband is a chicken parm fanatic, so I can’t wait to make this for him!
Every weekend in the winter, we make a batch of meatballs with a similar recipe. Great comfort food.
Mmmm…I love making baked meatballs. So much better for you and way less messy (ugh – frying things is the worst for clean-up!). Love the cheesy goodness in here!
Well how fantastic does that meal look?! I love that there’s cheese in the meatballs too. Also, using a cookie scoop to make meatballs is just plain brilliant. My kids love meatballs but I rarely make them because I hate shaping them! I might even have everything on hand to make this so it will be happening soon!
Oooooh I’m wishing I had some of these right now (and it’s nearly bedtime!), Kristine. Yum! That’s such a good idea about using a cookie scoop to form the meatballs. Anything that minimizes mess is a winner!
These meatballs look so delicate and delicious. I watched 5 years ago or so how Jamie Oliver added grated parmesan in meatballs, and since that I’ve been doing them this ways. It really makes the difference. But together with mozzarella, it’s even better! lovely meal, Kristine!
I LOVe the idea of taking everything from chicken parmesan and stuffing it into spaghetti and meatballs! This is definitely a dinner I believe would go over VERY well around here! 😉
These look so tasty! I can see why your kiddos leave a clean plate! Yum!
Yum! I love that this only takes 30 minutes! And I am a bog fan of meatballs, love this healthier version, sounds so good!
I am alllll about this! I love 30 Min Thursdays cause even though I don’t participate I love drooling over everyone’s dishes…like this one. Chicken parm is my favorite and the fact that you turned it into meatballs is brilliant! Saving this recipe 🙂
I love seeing everyone’s 30 minute Thursday recipes, too! Thanks for your kind words, Rachel!
Made this on the weekend and those meatballs were a hit! Everyone gobbled it up and the kids were disappointed when my husband called dibs on taking the leftovers for lunch today! 🙂
Yay!!! I’m so glad that your family enjoyed this meal, Stacey! Thank you so much for letting me know! That made my day! 🙂
A dinner that’s ready in 35 minutes is a winner in my book! I love that you made chicken parmesan meatballs too, what a fun idea. This looks like a perfect weeknight dinner!
Thank you, Danielle! So long as dinner is quick and easy to make, I’m all for it! 🙂
Do you cook the ground chicken first? Or mix it raw?
You mix up the meatball ingredients raw, shape into balls and then bake.
These were amazing! Are the nutrition posted anywhere? If I calculated right, I think there is 1500 calories in the whole recipe?
Thanks, Lauren! I’m working my way through adding estimated nutrition information to my recipes. I haven’t gotten to this one yet, but you can use an online calculator to get an estimate.
This is my go to spaghetti and meatballs recipe, my family and I love it! I was thinking of making the sauce and meatballs and freezing it for my sister who is having a baby soon. Do you think it will freeze ok? Thank you!!
Hi Meghan, I’m so happy to hear that you love this recipe! Yes, I think the sauce and meatballs will freeze well. 🙂