When I’m craving a classic Italian meal but want to make it a bit healthier, I make this chicken meatballs and spaghetti recipe. Making pasta and spaghetti sauce is quick, easy, and oh-so tasty–and my kids can’t even tell the meatballs are chicken! I like having options, and these meatballs help me keep dinner fresh and fun without my kids complaining…mom win!
Spaghetti with Chicken Meatballs
I made a delicious homemade tomato sauce to go with these chicken meatballs, and I whipped up my kids’ favorite pasta (spaghetti, obviously!) for serving. The meatballs take just minutes to make from scratch, and I baked them in the oven so I could focus on making the sauce and pasta while they cooked. This whole recipe uses just 10 ingredients. Dinner can’t get much easier than that!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken spaghetti in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3 days. For best results, reheat everything together in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, stirring often.
How to Freeze
Making these chicken meatballs for spaghetti ahead of time is simple. Store the cooked meatballs in an airtight container, and freeze for 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them, just reheat the meatballs in the oven at 400°F for about 30 minutes, then make the spaghetti and tomato sauce fresh.
Notes and Tips
- You can also use ground turkey in place of ground chicken.
- If you prefer to pan-fry the meatballs, warm olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, then add to sauce when ready.
- Be careful not to let the minced garlic and crushed red pepper cook in the oil for too long. Garlic has a tendency to burn pretty quickly.
- If you’d prefer your sauce to be even fresher, you can crush your own tomatoes instead of using the canned option. Just know that crushing 10-12 tomatoes takes some effort!
- Skip the crushed red pepper if you’re serving this to children. Even a little bit of spice is usually too much for them.
Top Reader Review
“Very tasty and quick! Something different, thank you.” -Gina
Chicken Meatballs and Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Spaghetti Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (⅛ stick)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For Serving
- 16 ounces cooked spaghetti (1 box)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
- Fresh Parsley optional
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.1 pound ground chicken, 1 large egg, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the onion and sauté until softened and golden. Add in the garlic, crushed red pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.28 ounces crushed tomatoes, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add the meatballs into the pan, cover and reduce heat to low.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and add to the pan with sauce and meatballs. Toss to coat, adding a little pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Top with parmesan, parsley and serve.16 ounces cooked spaghetti, Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Fresh Parsley
Notes
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti and Meatballs Step by Step
Make the Meatballs: Preheat your oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together 1 pound of ground chicken, 1 large egg, ½ cup of Panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through.
Cook the Sauce: While the meatballs are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add in ½ cup of chopped onion and sauté until softened and golden. Add in 2 minced cloves of garlic and ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 28 ounces (1 large can) of crushed tomatoes, plus salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Simmer and Serve: Add the meatballs into the pan, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook 16 ounces of spaghetti according to the package directions, drain, and add to the pan with sauce and chicken meatballs. Toss to coat, adding a little pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Top with Parmesan and parsley, if desired, and serve.
Very tasty and quick! Something different, thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Gina!