Amazing 16 baked Italian chicken meatballs

If you are tired of heavy dinners but still crave that amazing Italian comfort food feeling, then you absolutely have to try my recipe for baked Italian chicken meatballs. Seriously, these are fantastic! We’re talking juicy, flavorful little bites, packed with Parmesan and herbs, all without the fuss of frying.

Hi everyone, I’m Anna, and I’m just a passionate food lover sharing simple and flavorful chicken recipes to make everyday cooking easier and more joyful. I’ve spent years perfecting simple chicken dishes for my family, figuring out the best ways to keep ground chicken tender and tasting incredible. These baked Italian chicken meatballs are the result of that experimentation—they’re light enough for a Tuesday night but impressive enough for company.

Forget dry, crumbly chicken! My method keeps these meatballs moist from start to finish. They come together in about 30 minutes total, which means dinner is on the table lightning fast. Get ready to fall in love with this healthier take on a classic!

Gathering Everything for Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

Before you even think about turning on the oven, let’s get organized. A good cook knows that having everything ready makes the process smooth, especially when dealing with ground chicken. I find that when I lay everything out—my fresh parsley, my spices, my little pile of Parmesan—I catch mistakes before they happen. We are making baked Italian chicken meatballs here, and we want them perfect on the first try!

This recipe is designed for speed, so setting up your station first is key. It really only takes about 10 minutes of prep time, but it’s ten minutes well spent.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

When it comes to these baked Italian chicken meatballs, the quality of your ingredients really shines through since we aren’t drowning them in sauce right away. Here is exactly what you need to gather up:

• One pound of ground chicken. Make sure it’s cold when you start mixing!
• A half cup of plain breadcrumbs—plain is best so they don’t fight the Italian flavors.
• A third cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Use the real stuff if you can; it melts better.
• One big egg, lightly beaten.
• Two tablespoons of milk to keep things tender.
• Two cloves of garlic, and you need to mince them finely so you don’t get huge chunks.
• Two tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped up.
• One teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
• A half teaspoon of salt.
• A quarter teaspoon of black pepper.
• If you like a little kick, a half teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes—but you can skip this easily.
• One tablespoon of olive oil for brushing the tops.
• And, if you plan on saucing them up later, about two cups of warm marinara sauce.

Necessary Equipment for Making Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

You don’t need specialty gadgets for this, thankfully! Just grab your standard kitchen tools. You will definitely need a large mixing bowl, a baking sheet, and parchment paper to line it. Don’t forget a small bowl for whisking the egg if you prefer, and of course, a reliable meat thermometer is essential for checking doneness.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

Okay, this is where the magic happens! The whole process, from mixing to pulling them out of the oven, is so quick. We are aiming for maximum flavor with minimum fuss. Remember, these are baked Italian chicken meatballs, so we skip the messy frying step entirely!

Preparing the Meatball Mixture

First things first: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This parchment paper is your best friend; trust me, cleanup is a breeze.

Now, in that big bowl, gently combine everything—the ground chicken, the breadcrumbs, the Parmesan, the egg, milk, minced garlic, parsley, and all those seasonings. Here is my biggest piece of advice: Mix this mixture gently! Use your hands, but only until the ingredients *just* come together. If you feel like you’re kneading dough, you’re doing it wrong. Overworking the ground chicken makes the finished meatballs tough and dense, and we want them juicy and tender.

Shaping and Initial Baking of Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

Once everything is barely combined, start shaping. I aim for about 1.5-inch balls—that’s roughly the size of a golf ball, maybe a little smaller. You should get about 16 of these beauties. Place them spaced out nicely on your prepared baking sheet.

Before they go into the heat, take that tablespoon of olive oil and lightly brush the tops of the meatballs. This helps them get a nice little golden crust while baking. Pop them into the preheated 400°F oven for 18 to 20 minutes. You must check the temperature! Pull them out when your thermometer reads 165°F internally.

Optional Step: Simmering Saucy Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

If you’re planning on serving these over pasta or making classic saucy meatballs, this next step is for you. If you want them plain for appetizers, skip right ahead!

If you want them saucy, warm up about two cups of your favorite marinara sauce in a skillet over medium heat. Carefully transfer your perfectly baked Italian chicken meatballs right into that warm sauce. Let them simmer together for about 5 minutes. This gives them time to soak up all that tomato goodness without drying out, since they are already fully cooked.

Tips for Achieving Expert Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

Look, even simple recipes can go sideways if you aren’t careful, especially when working with ground chicken, which can dry out faster than beef. I’ve learned a few tricks over the years making these baked Italian chicken meatballs that ensure they stay tender every single time. It’s all about gentle hands and trusting your thermometer!

The biggest mistake people make is squeezing the meat too tightly when rolling, which pushes out all the juices. Remember that gentle mixing we talked about? That’s the secret to a light, flavorful meatball.

Checking Chicken Temperature Safety

This is the most crucial step, and I cannot stress this enough: chicken must be cooked through completely. Even though these are baked and light, food safety comes first. You absolutely have to use a meat thermometer to check that the center of your largest meatball hits 165°F. If you skip this step and guess, you risk undercooking the chicken, which is just not worth it. Trust the tool over your eyes!

Ingredient Substitutions for Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

If you didn’t have fresh parsley on hand, don’t panic! I know how it is when you’re mid-recipe and realize you’re missing an ingredient. If you need to swap out the two tablespoons of fresh parsley, you can easily use two teaspoons of dried Italian parsley instead. It works just fine in the mix. Also, if you find your mixture is a tiny bit too crumbly, just add another splash of milk—maybe just a teaspoon—to help bind things together before you start rolling your baked Italian chicken meatballs.

Serving Suggestions for Your Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

Now that you have these perfect, juicy little bites, what are you going to do with them? Since these baked Italian chicken meatballs are lighter, they pair beautifully with almost anything without weighing down the whole meal. Of course, they are incredible tossed with that marinara sauce over spaghetti or linguine—that’s the classic move, right?

But if you want something different, try serving them alongside some roasted zucchini and cherry tomatoes. They also make fantastic little appetizers! Just serve them warm with toothpicks and a side of garlic aioli for dipping. They are substantial enough to be the star of the plate, but light enough that you won’t feel heavy afterward. Honestly, my kids just eat them plain right off the cooling rack, but I prefer them with a little side salad! You can find more great ideas for serving chicken dishes on our Pinterest page.

Storing and Reheating Your Leftover Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

I always hope there are leftovers because these baked Italian chicken meatballs taste amazing the next day—sometimes even better once the herbs have really settled in! Storing them correctly is easy, whether you plan to eat them in a couple of days or save them for a future quick dinner. Make sure they are completely cooled before you seal them up, though; putting hot food directly into a container traps steam and ruins that nice baked exterior.

If you made a big batch, freezing them is a lifesaver for busy weeks. I usually freeze them plain, without sauce, just so they reheat better when I finally pull them out. If you are looking for other quick chicken meals for busy weeks, check out our recipe for red curry chicken in 30 minutes.

Storage Guidelines Table

Here’s a quick chart so you know exactly how long you can keep your delicious chicken meatballs safe in the fridge or freezer:

Storage Location	Maximum Duration
Refrigerator (Airtight Container)	3 to 4 days
Freezer (Airtight, Freezer-Safe Bag)	Up to 3 months

When you are ready to reheat, if they are frozen, I like to thaw them overnight in the fridge first. Then, whether they are fresh or thawed, a quick 10 minutes in a 350°F oven will warm them right up without making them tough. If you’re adding sauce, pour it over them and simmer gently on the stovetop. For another great oven-baked option, consider trying our boneless chicken thighs baked at 400°F.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

I always get so many great questions about this recipe once people try it, which tells me you all are as excited about simple chicken dinners as I am! Here are a few things I hear most often regarding texture, flavor adjustments, and using ground chicken for these baked Italian chicken meatballs.

Can I bake these baked Italian chicken meatballs from frozen?

You absolutely can, but you need to adjust your expectations and your time! If you are baking these baked Italian chicken meatballs straight from the freezer, you’ll need to extend the baking time significantly—I usually add another 8 to 10 minutes, maybe more. Be extra diligent about checking that internal temperature; don’t rely on the time alone. You want to make sure they hit that safe 165°F mark all the way through.

What is the best way to make these lighter?

The great news is that these are already a lighter option since we bake them instead of frying them! We are using ground chicken, which is naturally lower in fat than ground beef. If you want to keep them incredibly light, just go easy on the Parmesan cheese—maybe reduce it to a quarter cup instead of a third—and definitely skip the optional marinara sauce step. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top right out of the oven adds brightness without any added fat.

How to ensure the meatballs stay moist?

Moisture retention comes down to two things: mixing and temperature. First, follow my rule about mixing gently! Stop as soon as the ingredients are incorporated. Second, do not overbake them. Once your meat thermometer signals 165°F, they are done. If you leave them in for 5 extra minutes, that moisture starts escaping, and suddenly your wonderful baked Italian chicken meatballs are a little dry. Pull them right when they hit the target!

Share Your Success with Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs

I really hope you loved making these easy, flavorful baked Italian chicken meatballs as much as I love sharing them with you. If you made a batch, please come back and leave a rating! Tell me how you served them—over pasta or as appetizers? Snap a picture and tag me online so I can see your beautiful results. Happy cooking, friends!

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