These Cheesy Chicken Meatballs are packed with fresh basil, garlic, and mozzarella. Baked in a delicious marinara sauce and topped with even MORE mozzarella, they are the most addicting meatballs you'll ever have! This one-pan recipe is ready in just over a half hour.
30½ inch slices of fresh mozzarella for topping meatballs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs - ground chicken breast, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons chopped basil (reserve 1 tablespoon for later!), salt, pepper, and ½ cup diced mozzarella. Mix well.
Form the meatballs: Use your hands or a tablespoon measure to form small 1-inch meatballs. If using a tablespoon measure, it helps to spray it with non-stick spray. To keep the ground chicken mixture from sticking to your hands, have a bowl of cold water nearby and dip your hands in it in between each meatball.
Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet. Gently place the meatballs in the pan and cook about 2-3 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Use tongs to gently turn each meatball over and brown them on the other side. You may need to brown the meatballs in two batches if they don't fit in the skillet.
Set the meatballs aside on a plate. Add the marinara sauce to the skillet and gently place the meatballs into the marinara sauce. Top each meatball with a small slice of mozzarella cheese.
Bake the meatballs for 5-10 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked (165F in the center). Garnish with remaining fresh basil.
Notes
If you don't have Italian breadcrumbs, just use regular breadcrumbs and add a bit of dried basil and oregano.