Baked Spicy Chicken Parm Meatballs (Print Version)

Spicy chicken meatballs baked in marinara sauce with melted mozzarella—a fiery Italian-American twist.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground chicken
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tbsp hot sauce
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1 tsp kosher salt
11 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ For Baking

12 - 2 cups marinara sauce
13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, hot sauce, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
03 - Shape mixture into 16 meatballs approximately 1 1/2 inches each and place evenly in the greased baking dish.
04 - Spoon marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs, ensuring they are well covered.
05 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
06 - Remove from oven, sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the meatballs, and return to oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
07 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything bakes together in one dish, so theres no skillet splatter or multiple pans to scrub later.
  • The heat builds slowly with every bite, but it never overpowers the cheesy, savory comfort you want from chicken parm.
  • These meatballs reheat beautifully, and they taste even better the next day tucked into a roll with extra sauce.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking, the meatballs firm up and the sauce thickens just enough to cling instead of run.
  • If your meatballs are falling apart, you likely overmixed or didn't let the mixture chill for a few minutes before shaping.
  • Always check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, undercooked chicken is not worth the risk.
03 -
  • Use a small cookie scoop to portion the meatballs evenly, it saves time and ensures they all cook at the same rate.
  • Let the meatballs sit in the fridge for 15 minutes after shaping, they hold together better and are easier to handle.
  • If you want extra crispy tops, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes after adding the cheese, but watch closely so nothing burns.
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