Description
These One Pan Chicken Meatballs are a quick and delicious dinner option featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in flavorful marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Prepared with simple ingredients and cooked in a single oven-safe skillet, this recipe delivers a comforting meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (preferably Italian seasoned)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce and Topping
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, egg, minced garlic, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix Gently: Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the meatballs tough.
- Test Seasoning: Take a small amount of the mixture and cook it in a skillet to taste for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Shape Meatballs: Shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. You should get around 20 meatballs from this mixture.
- Brown Meatballs: In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the meatballs in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Cook Meatballs: Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
- Set Meatballs Aside: Remove the browned meatballs from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same skillet, pour in the marinara sauce. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Return Meatballs: Nestle the meatballs back into the sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged for even cooking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the meatballs and sauce in the skillet.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the skillet from the oven and let meatballs sit for a few minutes to allow the cheese to set.
- Serve: Carefully scoop out the meatballs with some marinara sauce onto plates or a serving platter.
- Garnish: Garnish with fresh basil leaves for a pop of color and added flavor, if desired.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- To test seasoning, cook a small piece of the meatball mixture before shaping all meatballs.
- Use an oven-safe skillet to avoid transferring meatballs to another dish for baking.
- Meatballs can be frozen after shaping but before cooking for meal prep convenience.
- Fresh basil is optional but adds a fresh herbal note to the dish.
