Baked Spicy Chicken Parm Meatballs (Printable)

Spicy chicken meatballs baked in marinara with melted mozzarella—perfect for dinner.

# What You 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 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Baking

12 - 2 cups marinara sauce
13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons 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 mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, parsley, hot sauce, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
03 - Shape mixture into 16 meatballs approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them evenly spaced in the greased baking dish.
04 - Spoon marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs, ensuring they are completely covered.
05 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
06 - Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the meatballs. Return to oven and 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. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're ready in under an hour and actually taste like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • The spicy kick mixed with melted mozzarella hits different than regular chicken parm.
  • One batch feeds four people or becomes your lunch for the next three days.
02 -
  • Overmixing the chicken meat makes the meatballs come out rubbery and awful, so use a light hand even if it feels like it's not coming together properly.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest after baking—it's the difference between meatballs that stay together and ones that fall apart when you touch them.
03 -
  • Make the meatballs slightly smaller if you're serving them as appetizers—they cook faster and people eat more of them because they feel lighter.
  • If your marinara sauce tastes too acidic, stir in a pinch of sugar and a pat of butter before pouring it over the meatballs.
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