Italian Chicken Meatballs

These Italian baked chicken meatballs are my go-to healthier alternative to traditional beef meatballs. Made with ground chicken, breadcrumbs, and plenty of tasty seasonings, they’re so moist and delicious. I doctored up some jarred marinara sauce and topped these chicken meatballs with gooey, melty mozzarella cheese before baking them in the oven, and they turned out so good. They’re great served with pasta for dinner or as a simple appetizer.

Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs Recipe

I love these baked chicken meatballs! Filled with lots of fragrant herbs and spices, they taste just like the ones my grandma used to make. And if you can believe it, this mozzarella-covered Italian-style chicken meatball bake only takes 25 minutes to make!

Low-fat ground chicken makes these meatballs a healthier option to feed to my family, but they still taste just as good. They stay nice and juicy thanks to the addition of plenty of milk and eggs. My whole family loves these!

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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Italian chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Once you’ve cooked your chicken meatballs, allow them to cool completely before placing them on a baking tray or cutting board in the freezer for about 2 hours. Then, divide your frozen meatballs into freezer bags and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes and Tips

• As much as I love breadcrumbs, adding too much can ruin the texture of your baked chicken meatballs. For one, it can give your meatballs a more stuffing-like texture. Secondly, it can cause your meatballs to fall apart as they cook.
• Chilling your meatballs isn’t necessary for this recipe. However, if you want to be 100% sure that your meatballs will hold their shape, you can chill them for up to 24 hours before cooking them. Just be sure to set aside enough time!

4.50 from 26 votes

Italian Chicken Meatballs Recipe

These baked Italian chicken meatballs are so moist and delicious. Made with ground chicken, breadcrumbs, and plenty of tasty seasonings!

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time : 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

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Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• ▢ 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons milk
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 pound ground chicken

For the Sauce

• ▢ 2½ cups marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into large slices
• ▢ 2 cups roughly chopped kale (about 1 bunch)

Equipment

• Baking Sheet

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit for 2 minutes while you assemble the other ingredients.
  2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons milk
• Combine the egg, basil, garlic powder, oregano, Dijon mustard, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes with the breadcrumb mixture.
  1 large egg, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Add the chicken and gently use your fingers to mix together until just combined. Roll into 1½-inch meatballs.
  1 pound ground chicken
• Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the meatballs are just starting to brown, and are fully cooked through.
• While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add marinara sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt until simmering. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are done baking, about 10 minutes.
  2½ cups marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Spoon the meatballs into the sauce, add the kale, and cook, stirring gently, until the kale has wilted. Top with mozzarella cheese and cook, without stirring, until the cheese has melted.
  2 cups roughly chopped kale, 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• Serve meatballs over pasta of choice or with crunchy bread.

Notes

Storage: Store baked chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Italian Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Amount Per Serving (4 meatballs)

Calories 387 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 172mg57%

Sodium 1809mg79%

Potassium 1330mg38%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 4505IU90%

Vitamin C 50.9mg62%

Calcium 321mg32%

Iron 3.8mg21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course:Appetizer

Cuisine:Italian

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Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.