I’ve had this recipe idea on the back burner for a while and finally made it. What a meal — the meatballs have a delicious Italian-sausage vibe from the fennel, and fresh mozzarella melts into perfect bites. It came together faster than I expected. If you’re already making pasta, this takes only about 15 extra minutes of prep and cook time, making it essentially a 30-minute meal. With ingredients prepped and ready, the process moves quickly. I’ve included a few small tips in the recipe to help save time.
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Noodles
Pin
Rate
Save
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground chicken or turkey
- ⅓ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp onion, finely minced (frozen diced onion works well)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (frozen peeled garlic is handy)
- ⅓ cup spinach leaves, chiffonade
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 2 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 24 oz jar marinara sauce
- 6-12 oz fresh mozzarella (amount depends on how cheesy you want it)
- 2 cups fusilli pasta (about 6.5–7 oz)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F and position the rack in the upper third of the oven.
-
In a large bowl, gently combine the ground chicken or turkey, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, spinach, parmesan, parsley, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and the whisked egg until evenly mixed.
-
Form the mixture into meatballs about 2 tablespoons each (a slightly heaping #50 cookie scoop works well). Arrange them a few inches apart on a foil-lined baking sheet lightly greased with cooking spray.
-
Stir 2 tablespoons of marinara with 2½ tablespoons of olive oil and brush the tops of the meatballs with the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.
-
While the meatballs bake, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to package directions (about 9 minutes for many brands). Drain when done.
-
Remove the meatballs from the oven, spoon a little extra marinara over each, and top with a slice of fresh mozzarella. Broil 2–5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted—watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
-
Toss the cooked pasta with the remaining jarred sauce and divide among plates. Top each serving with several meatballs and enjoy.
Notes
- Recipe yields about 20 meatballs, roughly four meatballs per serving.
Sharing this recipe with a link is encouraged. Copying full recipes to social media without a link is prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and follow for more recipes.
Recipe adapted from Dinner A Love Story