Meatballs are always on repeat in my house because they just make life easier. If we're ranking favorites, these classic Italian chicken meatballs win every time. They're made with simple ingredients, packed with classic Italian flavor, and simmered in tomato sauce. Easy, reliable, and absolutely worth adding to your regular dinner rotation.
The benefit of making meatballs is the versatility of them! You can switch up the sides, change the sauce (I love making my sweet and sour slow cooker meatballs) make them ahead of time, and call it meal prep without even trying.
TL; DR Summary - Italian Chicken Meatballs
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Cook Time: ~30 minutes
- 📖 Dietary Info: Dairy, gluten, egg
- 😋 Taste: Juicy, tender chicken meatballs with a sweet and savory tomato sauce.
- 💖 Why You'll Love: These chicken meatballs are meal prep friendly, easy to incorporate into any dish.
- 🍽️ Best Paired With: Serve on a bed of your favorite pasta or make my buttered noodles with swiss chard. Easily make a batch of these to pair with sautéed green beans or garlic butter roasted carrots for a low carb option. You can also meal prep these with a spring pasta salad.
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Tips and Key Pointers
- Do not over-mix - Use a raking method with your four fingers (tucking the thumb into your palm) to mix the meat and ingredients together just until the ingredients combine. Over-mixing the meat will cause the texture to get tough when baking or frying.
- Use a Greased Baking Sheet - I've made these meatballs time and time again, and without fail, the times I've not greased the aluminum foil or the baking sheet, the meatballs fall apart. Remember to spray nonstick spray to either the sheet pan itself or the aluminum lining before adding the meatballs to the pan to bake.
- Don't Skimp on Seasoning - Meatballs need a good amount of seasoning and flavor, so be sure to add the correct amounts if you are not used to "eyeballing" seasonings and spices.
The Main Ingredients
- Ground Chicken (dark and light meat) - Using a mix of dark and light meat keeps the meatballs tender and flavorful while still feeling lighter than traditional beef.
- Breadcrumbs - Breadcrumbs help bind everything together and lock in moisture so your meatballs stay soft instead of dense.
- Egg - The egg acts as a binder, giving the meatballs structure so they hold their shape while cooking.
- Parmesan Cheese - Parmesan adds salty, nutty depth and boosts that classic Italian flavor in every bite.
- Seasonings (dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley) - These dried herbs bring that familiar Italian taste and make the meatballs feel like they've been simmering in Sunday sauce all day.
- Salt and Pepper - Simple but essential, salt and pepper enhance all the other flavors and make sure the meatballs taste well seasoned throughout.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- Swap the chicken for ground turkey (like I do with my Italian baked turkey meatballs) or even ground beef.
- Use gluten free breadcrumbs or panko.
- You can omit the parmesan cheese or use nutritional yeast instead. If you want to make your own sauce for these, you are on your own.
How to make Italian chicken meatballs
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, bread crumbs, egg, seasoning, and parmesan cheese.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients together in the bowl and stop when the meatball mixture comes together, do not over mix.
Step 3: Spray some non-stick oil spray onto the baking sheet. Place each meatball on the sheet with space in between. Bake for 30 minutes. In the meantime, begin to heat your marinara of choice.
Step 4: Once the meatballs are done baking, add them to the sauce and simmer for another hour.
Mistakes I've Made (To avoid!)
- Don't over-mix. Do NOT over-mix the meat. Once everything is combined, stop touching it. Over-mixing is common, but is entirely preventable by using the raking method mentioned above.
- Do not forget to season the sauce as well as the meatballs. We are aiming for robust flavors of basil, parsley, and oregano. You can use fresh herbs if you choose to, but just don't forget this step (like I've done before).
- Remember that meatballs will continue to cook in the sauce, so you do NOT need to bake the meatballs to death in the oven.
Italian Chicken Meatballs FAQs
Storing these meatballs is easy. Add them to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up 3-4 days. Make sure to save all the sauce to keep the meatballs from drying out upon reheat.
You can make a double batch and freeze half for another day. Remember to defrost them the day before or in the morning of the day you'd like to cook them. These chicken meatballs stand up well to freezing for 1-2 months. Remember to label the date and the baking time.
You can certainly use the microwave (we do most of the time), but if you have the time, add the meatballs and sauce to a saucepan and heat on a low flame until warm. This is the best way to do it and won't dry out the chicken. You can also use a crockpot on the "warming" mode until warmed through.
If you want to skip the baking or even pan frying, you can add the meatballs to the pot of sauce and cook for 40-50 minutes.
Just like making my eggplant and ricotta meatballs, I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet as the cast iron skillet sustains an even heat throughout the frying process. Add the meatballs to a well oiled pan on a medium heat, browning on all sides. Add to the pot of sauce once the meatballs are browned, they will continue to cook in the sauce for an additional 30 minutes.
Craving more meal prep meals? Check these out:
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Italian Style Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet full size
- aluminum foil
- 1 large pot
- measuring spoons tablespoons to measure the seasoning
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Mix the egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, seasonings, and ground chicken together in a bowl until fully combined. Use a cookie scoop to form the meatballs a little larger than the size of a golf ball.
- Spray non-stick oil spray onto an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Place each meatball on the sheet with space in between.
- Bake for 30 minutes. In the meantime, begin to heat your marinara of choice.
- Once the meatballs are done baking, add them to the sauce and simmer for another half. Serve with choice of side, a little thyme as garnish, and a dash of parmesan cheese.
Sue says
The picture shows parsley but the ingredients list has no parsley but garlic powder instead - which is it?
Morgan Peaceman says
Hi, use 1/2 tsp of parsley along with the 1 tsp of garlic.
Michele says
DELICIOUS and thanks so much for the “”raking method” instructions on mixing the meat. I’d never heard of that before and I really believe that made all the difference as my meatballs are typically on the tough side- but these were not! They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I did pan fry them though (didn’t use the oven), then heated them in a pot of simmering tomato-basil jar sauce for about 25 minutes (I use a very good, pricey jar sauce; I just don’t have time for sauce from scratch). I also used fresh basil, not dried. Dried oregano is perfectly fine but to me there’s a big difference between fresh and dried basil. Other than that I followed the recipe completely. Thanks and YUM! This recipe is a keeper.
Morgan Peaceman says
I adore you for this comment! Thank you! I typically rely on dried spices as I don't always have the fresh unless I am growing it in the backyard during the spring and summer, so that's a great tip for anyone who wants to use fresh. The browning the meatballs just adds such another layer of flavor. Nothing wrong with high quality jarred sauce too IMO. So happy you loved this one!!!
MamaT says
This was a delicious recipe. Quick to put together using ingredients I normally have on hand. I will definitely be making these meatballs again! Thanks for sharing.
Morgan Peaceman says
I am so glad you loved it! They are a staple in my house, and we make extra for the freeze!
meredith paul says
Truly cannot stop talking about these meatballs. I love that they are chicken and not beef. And the flavor is spot on. I was nervous about the seasonings, but the amount was really perfect.