Are you watching the Super Bowl today? These Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs would be a great snack to make if you are. My husband I would say is a bit ‘football-obsessed’. As for me, I really don’t pay too much attention to it. In fact I mostly just watch for the half-time show to see who is performing.
These would be a great snack though if you were hosting a bunch of football fans. This recipe is inspired by one that I saw a while back by Alton Brown.I thought it was a brilliant idea for a spin on the traditional chicken parmesan. I’ve baked the meatballs here today, which doesn’t yield as crispy of an exterior than frying them would. But I do find it to be less messy so I opted for baking today. If you want to fry, however, feel free to as they would be delicious fried as well.
I’ve included a recipe for a simple garlic tomato sauce that I used here today. Don’t be frightened by the amount of garlic I’ve used in the sauce as the cooking method mellows it quite a bit. It’s a great sauce to have in your repertoire as it is really delicious for a simple pasta dinner as well. Alternatively, you could use any marinara or tomato-based sauce that you like instead.
These are great served with some toasty garlic bread.
This yields about 36-40 medium-sized meatballs
INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 2 lb of ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp of Basil Pesto (store bought) or use my homemade recipe https://mytastytrials.com/?s=basil+pesto
- 3/4 cup panko
- 3/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
To Roll the Meatballs you will need:
- 2/3 cup panko
- 2/3 cup parmesan
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley minced
- pinch of salt
To Top:
- Approx 300-400 grams fresh mozzarella
- Generous grating of fresh parmesan
- Fresh Basil – Large bunch
Tomato Sauce
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- 1 can San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed with your hands
- 2/3 cup passata
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together all the meatball ingredients well and shape into small-medium sized meatballs.
Mix together your extra parmesan, panko mixture, and gently roll each meatball in it to coat.
Place the meatballs on the baking tray and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, you can make your tomato sauce. In a deep heavy-bottomed saucepan heat up your olive oil over medium heat. Add your garlic and let sizzle for a moment and then add in your tomatoes (be careful, it will splatter). Add in your red pepper flakes and salt and let simmer for a while until thickened slightly (about 10-15).
To put together heat up your broiler. Put your hot tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish and lay in your meatballs. Top with a little more tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and a generous grating of parmesan. Throw under the broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Serve immediately with some toasted garlic bread.
If you like this recipe you should try: Mozza Stuffed Meatballs in Marinara with Chimichurri
