Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
I love creating dishes in different versions like the chicken katsu curry orzo or the meatball parm smash burgers so when the idea to turn chicken parm into meatballs came to me, it was right up my alley. Crispy fried meatballs, a creamy marinara, and a broiled cheese top that gets bubbly and golden in just a few minutes. I served it over a bed of pasta and it went down as big hit and is now a part of my weekly dinner rotation.
What Makes This One Special
The meatballs themselves are the star here. Ground chicken can go dry and bland fast and it definitely gets a bad rep, but cottage cheese folded into the mixture keeps them soft and almost creamy on the inside, while a heavy panko coating gives them a shatter-crisp shell once they hit the oil. Then there’s the sauce which couldn’t be easier! A jarred marinara base (I always reach for Raos) gets doctored up with garlic, Calabrian chili, and a splash of heavy cream until it’s rich and warm in flavor. Oh and can’t forget the shower of parmesan too!
🤎 TIP: Don’t worry, it’s not actually spicy — the chili is more about depth than heat, so it’s totally kid-friendly but you can always opt out too!
What You’ll Need
For the meatballs, you’re working with ground chicken, cottage cheese, a mix of paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, plus grated parmesan, fresh parsley, and fresh basil. Panko breadcrumbs go on separately as a coating rather than mixed in and that’s what gives you the crunch. You’ll also want a neutral oil like avocado or vegetable oil for frying.
For the sauce: olive oil, butter, garlic, Calabrian chili (if you can’t find it, chili flakes work as a substitute), your favorite marinara, heavy cream, and more parmesan. To finish, you’ll need shredded mozzarella and extra parmesan for the broiled top.
How To Make It
Mix and shape the meatballs. In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, cottage cheese, salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, parmesan, parsley, and basil, mixing everything by hand until just combined. You don’t want to overwork it or the meatballs will turn dense. Roll into about 16 meatballs, roughly 2 tablespoons each.
🤎 TIP: Spray your hands with a little cooking oil before rolling. The mixture is sticky and this makes it so much easier to work with.
Coat in panko. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a separate bowl and roll each meatball through it, pressing gently so it sticks on all sides. This is what gives you that crisp, golden crust once they hit the pan.
Fry until golden. Heat a deep, oven-safe sauté pan or casserole dish over medium heat with enough neutral oil to cover the bottom and come up about a quarter inch. Once it’s shimmering, add the meatballs in a single layer, frying in batches if your pan is small, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Move them to a wire rack to drain while you deal with the sauce.
🤎 TIP: Don’t skip the wire rack. It keeps the crispy coating from steaming and going soft the way a paper towel-lined plate would.
Prefer to air fry? Instead of pan-frying, lightly spray the coated meatballs with cooking oil and coat the bottom of your air fryer basket with a light layer of oil as well. Air fry at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. From there, pick back up with the sauce below.
Build the sauce right in the same pan. Discard the frying oil, leaving behind those browned bits at the bottom. That’s flavor you don’t want to lose. Add the olive oil and butter and let it melt, then add the garlic and Calabrian chili and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the marinara, heavy cream, and parmesan, stirring to combine, and let it simmer for a few minutes until it all comes together.
Nestle, top, and broil. Preheat your broiler to high with a rack in the middle position. Add the meatballs back into the pan, tucking them into the sauce, then top everything with mozzarella and parmesan. Use as much or as little as you’re craving here, no need to measure. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden in spots.
Tips & Variations
A couple things I’ve learned making these on repeat, plus a few ways to switch it up depending on what you’re in the mood for.
- Ricotta works as a swap for cottage cheese if that’s what you have on hand — it’ll be a touch richer but just as creamy
- No Calabrian chili? A pinch of extra red pepper flakes in the sauce gets you close
- Want it milder? Leave out the red pepper flakes in the meatballs and the Calabrian chili in the sauce entirely
- These freeze really well after frying and before saucing. Just thaw and pick up at the sauce step
Make Ahead & Storing Leftovers
You can mix and shape the meatballs up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to fry. Just don’t coat them in the panko until you’re ready to fry. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan on the stove or in a 350°F oven until warmed through, since the microwave tends to make the coating soggy.
Craving More Like This? Try These Recipes Out!
- Meatball Parmesan Smash Burgers — all the flavors of a meatball sub smashed into burger form.
- Chicken Katsu Curry Orzo — crispy panko chicken meets a creamy curry-spiced orzo for a cozy weeknight plate.
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Crust Chicken Pot Pie — a savory chicken filling loaded with veggies under a sweet, cheesy cornbread topping.
- Elote Chicken Pasta Salad — chicken tossed with pasta and all the smoky, creamy street corn flavors.
- Chicken Sausage Patties — juicy homemade patties that come together in one pan, perfect for breakfast or dinner.
If you make this recipe, make sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out — I love hearing from you! And if you snap a photo, don’t forget to tag me over on Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations too.
You can also find this recipe and so many more on my Pinterest — perfect for saving to your board for later. And if you’re more of a visual learner, check out my YouTube channel, where I walk you through recipes step-by-step just like this one.
Dinner
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup neutral oil, for frying (or enough to reach 1/4 inch up the sides of the pan)
SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped Calabrian chili
- 2 cups marinara sauce (I used Rao's)
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
TOPPING
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, as needed
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
FORM THE MEATBALLS
- In a medium bowl, add the ground chicken, cottage cheese, salt, black pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, grated parmesan, parsley, and basil, then mix by hand until just combined.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs to a separate medium bowl.
- Lightly spray your hands with cooking oil spray to prevent sticking, then roll the chicken mixture into 16 meatballs, about 2 tablespoons each.
- Roll each meatball in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to coat evenly on all sides, then set aside on a plate.
FRY THE MEATBALLS
- In a deep, oven-safe sauté pan or casserole dish over medium heat, add enough neutral oil to cover the bottom of the pan and come up about 1/4 inch, then heat until shimmering.
- Add the meatballs to the pan in a single layer, working in batches if needed, then fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to drain any excess oil, then carefully discard the oil from the pan, leaving behind any browned bits.
MAKE THE SAUCE
- In the same pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter, then let the butter melt.
- Add the minced garlic and Calabrian chili to the pan, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the marinara sauce, heavy cream, and grated parmesan to the pan, then stir to combine and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
ASSEMBLE & BROIL
- Preheat the broiler to high and position an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
- Return the meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan evenly over the meatballs, using as much or as little as you'd like, then transfer the pan to the middle rack and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden in spots, then enjoy!
Tips & Notes
Q: Can I bake these meatballs instead of frying them?
A: Yes, you can bake them at 400°F for about 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
Q: Can I air fry these instead of frying them in a pan?
A: Yes, you can air fry them at 400°F for about 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Q: What can I use instead of cottage cheese?
A: You can swap in ricotta cheese for a similar creamy texture, though the flavor will be slightly richer.
Q: What should I serve these with?
A: These are delicious over pasta, spooned into a hoagie roll for a meatball sub, or served on their own with crusty bread — you can find my garlic bread recipe for pairing.
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HI, I’M HAJAR
Welcome to Moribyan! This is my blog where I love to share all my favorite recipes and lifestyle tips with you all. If I’m not cooking here, I’m either at Trader Joe’s, the gym, or eating a bagel.
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