Learn how to make baked Italian chicken meatballs! These tender and juicy meatballs have all the flavors of an Italian meatball but instead, replace beef with ground chicken. They’re simply delicious and flavorful from using freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta cheese, and fresh basil and oregano for brightness!
Meatballs are a favorite in our house! We can’t get enough of them, from our secret ingredient Italian meatballs to my family’s favorite chicken parmesan meatballs. I used the same concept for my family’s Italian meatballs and added ricotta cheese for extra tenderness! Trust me, they are not your average chicken meatball.
These are baked in the oven rather than browned on the stovetop, so there is no need for extra oils or frying, and they come out perfectly cooked! We also use fresh herbs for bright flavor and plenty of freshly grated cheese to keep them moist.
Swap these meatballs with any of your favorite recipes; I promise everyone will love them!
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
The meat – you’ll need ground chicken for the main protein of the meatballs.
Breadcrumbs help give the meatballs structure. Without some support from the breadcrumbs, they would go a little flat. Learn how to make breadcrumbs yourself. It’s so easy, and you can use whatever bread you like! Or use your favorite plain store-bought breadcrumbs.
Parmigiano Reggiano adds moisture, tenderness, and lots of rich flavor to the meatballs! For best results, I recommend using freshly grated.
Ricotta cheese – this creamy Italian cheese is my family’s secret ingredient for making incredibly tender meatballs.
Egg – this is used to bind the ingredients together and for the meatball to hold its shape.
Garlic – for flavor! Fresh cloves are best, but you can also use garlic powder for a less intense garlic flavor.
Fresh basil and oregano – for bright herb flavor!
Salt & pepper – to draw out the flavors of all the ingredients!
How to Make Italian Chicken Meatballs
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1
Mix the meatball ingredients. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly together using your hands or a spoon.
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2
Shape and roll into meatballs. Portion the mixture out into about 2 inch balls, then gentle roll in between your hands until smooth. I like to use a smaller ice cream/cookie scoop to measure the meatballs exactly.
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4
Arrange on a grease pan. As your forming the meatballs, place them on a sheet pan that’s been sprayed with oil or lined with parchment paper.
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4
Bake the meatballs. Then bake the meatballs at 400F for 20 minutes. Then serve!
Tips for Meatball Success
Use your hands to mix – my mom always taught me to mix meatballs with my hands, not a spoon or mixing device. This keeps the meatball mixture lighter, not dense, and is the most efficient way to incorporate ingredients thoroughly!
Use a cookie or ice cream scoop for perfect meatball measurements – this is how I always do it! A cookie scoop is the fastest way to form meatballs, and it perfectly portions the meat mixture. So everything is evenly sized, making the baking part even more successful!
Quality ingredients make all the difference – in any recipe, but especially anything Italian, quality ingredients yield the best results. Use good-quality ground chicken, Italian parmesan, and homemade breadcrumb with fresh herbs – your results will be perfect!
Change up the herbs. A popular herb for meatballs is also Italian parsley, you can use this in addition to the fresh basil and oregano or instead of one of them.
A swap for Parmigianno Reggiano. Even though freshly grated Parmigianno is my top choice for flavoring meatballs, you can also use pecorino romano too.
Instead of ground chicken. You can use ground turkey instead of chicken.
Make it gluten-free. Learn how to make homemade breadcrumbs on our website, and use your favorite gluten-free bread to make this recipe gluten-free. You can also use store-bought gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Add some spice. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the mixture.
What to Serve These Meatballs With
Marinara – of course, meatballs and marinara are the ultimate combo. We love to serve these with our San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh tomato sauce, or this spicy arrabbiata sauce. If we don’t have time to make a homemade sauce, we love using Victoria or Raos!
Spaghetti (or any pasta!) – Meatballs and spaghetti are a classic duo! But you could also serve this with any of your favorite pasta shapes.
Meatball sub – instead of Italian meatballs, make your meatball sub with these chicken meatballs.
With zucchini or eggplant recipes – instead of pasta, I love to serve this alongside a zucchini or eggplant dish to lighten things up. Serve that as protein with our eggplant rollatini or zucchini lasagna!
More Italian Meatballs to Try
Classic Italian Meatballs – are the perfect meatballs if you want a classic and authentic Italian meatball made with beef and pork. We also use a secret ingredient that makes them incredibly tender!
Chicken Piccata Meatballs – for a fun twist on our Lemon Chicken Piccata, but made in meatball form! They’re tender, tangy, and served in a delicious lemony caper sauce.
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Zucchini – are most similar to these Italian chicken meatballs but instead, they are made with zucchini for some added nutrients and moisture and are served with melty cheese and sauce, just like our chicken parmesan!
Baked Italian Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl, and use your hands to thoroughly mix all the components together.
- Roll them into meatballs: prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or brushed with oil, and portion the mixture into 1 1/2-sized balls – I like to use a cookie scoop for this step. (This would also equal around 2 Tablespoons if you don't have a cookie scoop). Once portioned roll them out between your palms until they're smooth balls, then place on the baking sheet and repeat until finished.
- Bake: Once the meatballs are formed, bake them in the oven for 20 minutes. Then serve with sauce and enjoy!
Didn’t deviate much from the recipe. Added fresh thyme, parsley, chilli flakes and a splash of Worcestershire. Really really good. The addition of ricotta is brilliant.
Thanks for sharing the recipe, it will go into the dinner rotation.
So glad you loved the ricotta addition, David! And glad you could add your own flare 🙂 Thanks so much!