Chicken Parm Meatballs
Cheesy, golden-baked chicken meatballs simmered in marinara sauce, capturing all the flavors of a classic chicken parm in a fun, family-friendly form.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 2 28 oz. Cans Whole Tomatoes with Basil preferably San Marzano
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion Chopped fine
- 6 Cloves Garlic Peeled and minced or finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil Chopped
- 1/4 tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Meatballs
- 2 lbs Ground Chicken
- 2 Lg Eggs
- 1 Cup Freshly Ground Parmesan
- 3/4 Cup Grated Mozzarella
- 2/3 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 Cup Parsley Chopped
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced or Grated
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 Cup Warm Water
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
- Remove the tomatoes from the cans and place in a large bowl, reserving their juices. Crush tomatoes using scissors or your hands. Remove and discard the hard core from the tomato stem ends, and any skin and tough membrane. Reserve.
- Place the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, and cook until soft and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and their reserved juices and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about an hour.
- Stir in the oregano, basil if using and pepper. Taste and add salt if needed. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth if you want a very smooth texture.
- Continue cooking 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and serve with pasta, or anything you like.
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Spread olive oil over the bottom of a shallow, large griddle or sheet pan (preferably cast iron but anything oven safe will do)
- Beat eggs lightly, then add cheese, garlic, and herbs. Whisk to combine. then add breadcrumbs, then the warm water and and gently but thoroughly combine. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes so the panko can hydrate.
- Add the meat, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and mix - I do this with my hands so as not to overwork.
- Using a 3 tablespoon scoop or measuring cup, scoop out the meatballs onto prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with oil.
- Bake on the top third of the oven for about 10 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
- Transfer the meatballs to the pot of sauce and let them simmer for another 2-3 minutes to finish cooking and marry the flavors. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1133mg | Potassium: 719mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 2mg
