Description
This One Pan Chicken Meatballs recipe combines juicy homemade chicken meatballs with a rich marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, all cooked together in a single skillet. Perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner that’s both easy to prepare and packed with flavor, this dish is sure to become a family favorite.
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 & 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, gently mix all the ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough meatballs.
- Season Test: Take a small portion of the mixture and cook it in a skillet to test seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Shape Meatballs: Form the mixture into approximately 20 meatballs, each about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches without overcrowding, and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides but not fully cooked through.
- Remove Meatballs: Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour marinara sauce into the same skillet, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon for extra flavor. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Return Meatballs to Sauce: Nestle the browned meatballs back into the sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add Cheese: Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the meatballs and sauce.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C) and cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Rest: Remove from oven and allow meatballs to cool for a few minutes to let the cheese set.
- Serve: Carefully scoop meatballs with some marinara sauce onto plates or a serving platter.
- Garnish: Add fresh basil leaves for color and flavor before serving.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender and juicy.
- Cooking a small test meatball helps adjust seasoning before cooking the full batch.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the sauce and meatballs to a baking dish before adding cheese and baking.
- Use fresh basil or parsley for garnish to add a fresh herbal note.
- Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
