These Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs can be cooked in 3 different ways: pan-fried, baked, or as a full one-pot meal simmered in orzo. Made with fresh basil, parsley, breadcrumbs, and plenty of Parmigiano, the meatballs are tender, flavorful, and easy to serve in a variety of ways.
Love using chicken meatballs instead of beef meatballs? Add them to your Spicy Vodka Sauce with pasta or Creamy Corn Orzo for a full meal!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs
- ⏲️Ready in: under 30 minutes
- 👪Makes: 4-6 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: Ground Chicken, Parmigiano, and breadcrumbs.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: These Italian-style chicken meatballs are a great recipe because they can be made 3 ways: pan-fried, baked, or simmered in orzo.
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Why This Recipe
This Italian-Style chicken meatball recipe is more than just a recipe; it's a guide to cooking them 3 different ways. You can pan-fry them, bake them, or finish them directly in an orzo dish for a complete meal.
Frying or baking the meatballs is perfect when you already know how you want to serve them. Add them to a pot of Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce, use them in a soup, or substitute them for traditional beef meatballs in your favorite recipe.
For an easy weeknight dinner, the third method shows you how to brown the meatballs and finish cooking them in one of our deliciously creamy orzo recipes. The chicken meatballs and orzo come together in less than 45 minutes for a simple family meal.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground Chicken- I use packaged ground chicken from the grocery store. If you are grinding the chicken yourself or purchasing it freshly ground from a butcher, chicken thighs will give the meatballs more fat and flavor. Because the moisture and fat content of ground chicken can vary, start with the listed amount of breadcrumbs and adjust based on the texture of the mixture. Ground turkey can be used as a one-to-one substitute.
- Parmigiano- It might seem like a lot of Parmigiano, but it adds salt, richness, and moisture to the lean ground chicken, helping the meatballs stay tender as they cook. For a more traditional beef-and-pork version, try my Classic Italian Fried Meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs- Breadcrumbs are used as a binder for the meatballs. Ground chicken is higher in water content than ground beef, so they fall apart more easily. The breadcrumbs help them keep their shape.
- Fresh Herbs- I use an assortment of Italian herbs, basil and parsley, to add a bright and fresh flavor to the meatballs.
- Seasoning- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I prefer garlic powder to fresh minced garlic because exposed pieces of garlic can burn while the meatballs are pan-frying.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs
My Italian-style chicken meatballs can be cooked 3 different ways: pan-fried, baked, or simmered in orzo. Frying or baking them is great when you already have a meal planned around them, whether you're adding them to a Marinara Sauce or Italian Wedding Soup. For a complete one-pan meal, you can brown them and finish them in one of our easy 30-minute orzo recipes.
Making the Chicken Meatballs
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, egg, basil, parsley, and fresh lemon juice. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing. If the mixture feels too wet to roll into meatballs, mix in another tablespoon of breadcrumbs at a time until it feels tacky, but not wet.
Step 2: Roll the ground chicken into small 1-inch meatballs. It should yield approximately 12 meatballs.
Frying Italian Chicken Meatballs
Step 3A: Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, place your meatballs into the skillet. Fry them, turning every 1-2 minutes, until golden brown and 165℉, about 8 minutes. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches if necessary.
Remove and set on a paper towel-lined plate. Then serve immediately.
Baking Italian Chicken Meatballs
Step 3B: Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper. Drizzle the parchment paper with olive oil. Place the meatballs onto the tray, setting them at least 1 inch apart.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they reach 165℉ and are lightly browned (They won't be nearly as golden-brown as when they're fried). Serve immediately.
Step 3C: Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, place your meatballs into the skillet. Fry them, turning every 1-2 minutes, until they are golden brown. Don't worry about them reaching 165℉ because we will finish cooking them in the orzo.
Follow the directions for our Lemon Spinach Orzo or One-Pot Creamy Tomato Orzo. Once you reach the step of covering the orzo, nestle the meatballs into the orzo. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the orzo is ready. Remove the meatballs and continue following the instructions to complete the orzo. Return the meatballs to the orzo and serve.
Step 4: Serve the finished meatballs as is or top with one of your favorite sauces like Spicy Marinara Sauce or Creamy Red Pepper Sauce!
Above, you can see our Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs served in a Lemon Spinach Orzo. These work really well for our family because it's a complete one-pan meal and our kids happen to love orzo.
Pro-Tips
- Water content in ground chicken varies greatly. Be prepared to add more breadcrumbs to the mixture to help it hold its texture. Add breadcrumbs a tablespoon at a time to make sure the mixture doesn't dry out.
- The mixture can be tacky. Lightly coat your hands in olive oil to avoid ground chicken sticking to your hands.
- Fried meatballs have more flavor than baked meatballs because they develop a golden-brown crust and caramelized flavor from direct contact with the hot pan.
- Par-frying and finishing meatballs in simmering orzo is perfect for those looking for a full meal with less cleanup. Par-fry in the same pan you plan on making the orzo in!
FAQs about Chicken Meatballs
You may have overmixed your meatballs or added too much breadcrumbs. Try to mix until just combined for best results and tender, juicy meatballs.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days and reheat in the microwave.
It's really a personal preference, but there are some main differences. Fried meatballs are more flavorful because the edges caramelize into a golden-brown crust while keeping all the juicy tenderness inside the meatballs. Baking meatballs is less clean-up, and you can bake more at a time than when you're frying, so it can be quicker to make large batches.
Yes, they reheat well. You can cook them in advance and then add them to a sauce or a soup depending on what you're making.
What to Serve with Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs
Italian chicken meatballs can easily be added to a meal to make a really simple meal or as a substitute for traditional ground beef or sausage meatballs.
- Risotto: Just like orzo, adding these chicken meatballs to a risotto dish like Creamy Mushroom Truffle Risotto, Creamy Cherry Tomato Risotto, or even Italian Rice and Beans (Riso e Fagioli) can make a delicious meal.
- Pasta: Substitute these meatballs for the sausage in our Italian Pink Sauce with Sausage or the grilled chicken in our Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken Pasta. Or serve them alongside a simple quick pasta dish like 15-Minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil or Pasta with Cauliflower.
- Vegetables: Add some simple vegetables to your one-pot meal like Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan) or Garlic Parmesan Green Beans.
More Easy Recipes That Work For Meal Prep
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Italian Style Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 1 baking pan
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup Parmigiano, grated
- ½ cup Italian seasoned fine breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Basil, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, egg, basil, parsley, and fresh lemon juice. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing. If the mixture feels too wet to be able to roll into meatballs, mix in another tablespoon of breadcrumbs at a time until it feels tacky, but not wet.
- Roll the ground chicken into small 1-inch meatballs. It should yield approximately 12 meatballs.
Option 1: Frying Meatballs
- Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, place your meatballs into the skillet. Fry them, turning every 1-2 minutes, until golden brown and reached 165℉, about 8 minutes. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches if necessary.
- Remove and set on a paper towel-lined plate. Then serve immediately.
Option 2: Baking Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper. Drizzle the parchment paper with olive oil. Place the meatballs onto the tray, setting them at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they reach 165℉ and are lightly browned (They won't be nearly as golden-brown as when they're fried). Serve immediately.
Finish in Orzo (Make it a Meal)
- Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, place your meatballs into the skillet. Fry them, turning every 1-2 minutes, until they are golden brown. Don't worry about them reaching 165℉ because we will finish cooking them in the orzo.
- Follow the directions for our Lemon Spinach Orzo or One-Pot Creamy Tomato Orzo. Once you reach the step of covering the orzo, nestle the meatballs into the orzo. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the orzo is ready. Remove the meatballs and continue following the instructions to complete the orzo. Return the meatballs to the orzo and serve.
Video
Notes
- Water content in ground chicken varies greatly. Be prepared to add more breadcrumbs to the mixture to help it hold its texture. Add breadcrumbs a tablespoon at a time to make sure the mixture doesn't dry out.
- The mixture can be tacky. Lightly coat your hands in olive oil to avoid ground chicken sticking to your hands.
- Fried meatballs have more flavor than baked meatballs because they develop a golden-brown crust and caramelized flavor from direct contact with the hot pan.
- Par frying and finishing meatballs in simmering orzo is perfect for those looking for a full meal with less cleanup. Par-fry in the same pan you plan on making the orzo in!
Vinny DelGiudice says
These are one of my favorite meatballs to add to my wifes meal preps! So easy to make and add to your favorite pastas or rice.