Baked Spicy Chicken Parm Meatballs (Printable)

Spicy ground chicken meatballs with Parmesan and herbs, baked in marinara and topped with gooey mozzarella cheese.

# What You 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, oregano, and hot sauce. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
03 - With damp hands, form 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 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 and spoon remaining sauce over them.
06 - Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
07 - Remove from oven, sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over meatballs, and return to oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and meatballs reach internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're genuinely healthier than the fried version: Baking keeps them tender and juicy without the guilt, so you can actually enjoy seconds without feeling weighed down.
  • The spice hits different: It sneaks up on you in the best way, building slowly instead of that harsh front-loaded burn.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup: Everything happens in your baking dish, which means more time eating and less time scrubbing.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the meatballs: I tried baking them straight from raw once to save time, and they turned out pale and sad—the browning step creates real flavor and texture.
  • Mozzarella timing is everything: Add it too early and it scorches; too late and it won't melt properly—that ten-to-twelve minute window is when the magic happens.
03 -
  • Damp hands change everything: Wet your hands before forming meatballs and they won't stick to you, plus they hold together better without all the overhandling.
  • Room temperature matters: Let your ingredients sit out for fifteen minutes before mixing so everything combines more smoothly and creates a more cohesive texture.
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