Baked Spicy Chicken Parm Meatballs (Printable)

Juicy spicy chicken meatballs baked in marinara with melted mozzarella cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground chicken
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce

→ For Baking

14 - 2 cups marinara sauce
15 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, oregano, and hot sauce. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
03 - With damp hands, form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on a plate. This yields approximately 16 meatballs.
04 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown for 2-3 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. Meatballs do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
05 - Spread half the marinara sauce in the prepared baking dish. Arrange browned meatballs on top. Spoon remaining sauce over the meatballs.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
07 - Remove from oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the meatballs. Return to oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent but come together in less than an hour, so you can feel fancy on a weeknight without the stress.
  • The spice builds slowly and warmly—hot sauce mixed right into the meat means every bite has flavor, not just a surface kick.
  • Baking instead of frying means less mess and fewer dirty pans, but somehow the mozzarella still gets those golden, bubbly edges.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step, even though it adds time—it creates flavor and texture that you absolutely notice when you take that first bite.
  • If your meatballs are falling apart or too wet, add a tablespoon more breadcrumbs, but remember that ground chicken is naturally leaner than beef, so a little moisture is actually your friend here.
03 -
  • Keep your mixing bowl and hands cool, and work quickly when combining ingredients—warm hands and slow mixing both lead to tough, dense meatballs.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness at 165°F instead of guessing, which takes the anxiety out of serving chicken and ensures they're cooked through but still tender.
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