When I’m craving comfort food but want something a little lighter, this chicken meatballs and spaghetti recipe always comes in handy. It’s hearty, kid-friendly, and made with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have at home. My juicy homemade chicken meatballs pair perfectly with a tangy homemade tomato sauce and a big plate of spaghetti. This pasta with chicken meatballs is a weeknight dinner win that tastes just as cozy as the classic.
Top Reader Review
This is a very easy and delicious recipe. We like our food spicy so I adjusted this for my family by adding wayyy more italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes to the meatballs and sauce.
I served this with a salad, garlic bread, and chicken parmesan. It was a special anniversary dinner for my son and his wife.
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Pasta with Chicken Meatballs
This chicken meatball spaghetti recipe is my family’s favorite twist on a classic. The meatballs are a simplified version of my favorite Italian chicken meatballs. I roll together seasoned ground chicken with Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and herbs to make tender meatballs, then pop them in the oven while I simmer a quick tomato sauce on the stovetop.
The baking step makes it so easy! I don’t have to babysit the pan, and I can cook both the spaghetti and the tomato sauce at the same time. Once everything’s ready, I toss the pasta with the baked chicken meatballs, ladle on the rich sauce, and dinner is done in under an hour. It’s one of those meals where nobody misses the beef version because the flavor is so satisfying.
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Why I Always Bake Chicken Meatballs
Through trial and error, I’ve found that ground chicken needs a little extra care to turn out perfectly in meatball form. Instead of simmering raw meatballs directly in sauce, which often makes them fall apart, I always bake them first.
Lining a pan with foil and giving the meatballs space to cook allows them to hold their shape, develop a light golden crust, and stay tender inside. Once they’re baked, they soak up all that tomato flavor beautifully. If you’ve ever struggled with mushy or broken meatballs, this method will change your chicken meatball spaghetti game for good.
Chicken Meatballs and Spaghetti Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
For the Chicken Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup 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)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
For Serving:
- 16 ounces cooked spaghetti (1 box)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- fresh Parsley (optional)
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 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.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup chopped onion
- Add in the garlic, crushed red pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, butter, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.28 ounces crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the meatballs into the pan, cover and reduce heat to low.
- Boil the pasta according to the package directions, drain and add to the pan with sauce and meatballs.16 ounces cooked spaghetti
- Toss to coat, adding a little pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Top with parmesan, parsley and serve.freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh Parsley
Notes
- Don’t overwork the meatball mixture, or your meatballs will turn out tough and dry.
- I like to use a cookie portion scoop to get equal sized meatballs, but you can use a spoon and your hands.
- Gently roll the meatballs between your palms to create perfect spheres.
- Optionally, you can chill the rolled meatballs for 10-15 minutes before baking (or pop them in the freezer for 5 minutes) to help them hold their shape in the oven.
- 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.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti and Meatballs Step by Step
Mix the Meatballs: Preheat your oven to 400℉, line a baking sheet with foil, coat with cooking spray, and set aside. 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. Use a gentle hand when mixing. You don’t want to overmix the meat, or your meatballs will turn out dense and dry.
Roll the Meatballs: Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared pan. I like to use a cookie portion scoop to get even-sized meatballs, but a regular spoon also works. Roll them gently between your palms to make them perfectly round. I was able to get 20 meatballs. At this point, you can chill them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes or in the freezer for 5 minutes to help them hold their shape as they bake, but it’s not necessary.
Bake the Meatballs: Bake your chicken meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through to 165°F.
Sauté the Onion: 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, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the Garlic: Add in 2 minced cloves of garlic and ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Simmer the Sauce: Stir in 28 ounces (1 large can) of crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, plus salt and pepper to taste (I used a heaping pinch of each). Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Add the Meatballs: Add the cooked chicken meatballs into the pan, cover, and reduce the heat to low while you cook the spaghetti.
Boil the Spaghetti: Boil 16 ounces of spaghetti in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain, and add to the pan with sauce and chicken meatballs.
Garnish and Serve: Toss everything to coat, adding a little pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired, before serving hot.
How to Store, Freeze, 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.
While I don’t recommend freezing the spaghetti, you can freeze the chicken meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a pot set over medium-low heat until warmed through. Serve with freshly boiled spaghetti.
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