Baked Spicy Chicken Parm Meatballs (Printable)

Spicy chicken meatballs baked in marinara with melted mozzarella for a fiery Italian-American 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 for greasing

# How-To Steps:

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, avoiding overmixing.
03 - Form mixture into 16 meatballs approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Arrange evenly in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Spoon marinara sauce evenly over meatballs, ensuring complete coverage.
05 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 400°F.
06 - Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over 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 before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one dish, so cleanup is a beautiful breeze compared to traditional chicken parm.
  • The spicy kick gives you that restaurant-quality depth while staying totally approachable for weeknight cooking.
  • High protein and ready in under an hour, perfect when you need something hearty that doesn't feel like it took all day.
02 -
  • Ground chicken can surprise you with its tendency to overcook—hitting 165°F is safe, but pulling it at exactly that temperature keeps things juicy instead of tough.
  • The hot sauce isn't just heat; it's a binder and flavor layer, so don't skip it thinking you can just add pepper at the end.
  • Mixing the meatball mixture with your hands for just the final few seconds prevents you from accidentally toughening the chicken with overmanipulation.
03 -
  • Brown your meatballs in a hot skillet for two minutes per side before adding them to the sauce if you want extra crust and depth—it's not essential but takes the dish from good to memorable.
  • Use a meat thermometer clipped to the edge of your baking dish so you can check doneness without opening the oven repeatedly and losing heat.
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