Herb and Parmesan Chicken Meatballs

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat oven and prepare baking sheetOven 400°F / 205°C

   • Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
   • While it heats, line a large baking sheet (at least 15×10 inches or 38×25 cm) with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.

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   Ready when: Oven is fully preheated and registers 400°F

   Tip: Having the oven fully preheated ensures the meatballs brown evenly and cook through consistently

2. 2

   Prepare the meatball components

   • While the oven preheats, finely grate the Parmesan cheese directly into a small bowl.
   • Mince the garlic cloves into small, even pieces.
   • If using fresh parsley for garnish, finely chop it as well.

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   Ready when: Parmesan is finely grated, garlic is minced into small uniform pieces, parsley is chopped

   Tip: Prepping these components now ensures your mixing step goes quickly and smoothly

3. 3

   Mix the meatball mixture

   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper.
   • Using your hands, gently mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated and the mixture is uniform.
   • Stop as soon as you see no visible dry streaks of breadcrumb; do not overmix, as this develops gluten and makes the meatballs dense and tough.

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   Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined with no visible dry streaks of breadcrumb or flour

   Tip: The best meatballs come from light, careful mixing; overmixing makes them tough and compact

4. 4

   Form the meatballs

   • Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons), portion the mixture into 24 equal-sized balls.
   • Place each meatball on the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
   • Even spacing allows heat to circulate around each meatball, ensuring they cook evenly and brown lightly on all sides.

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   Ready when: All 24 meatballs are formed to similar size and evenly spaced across the sheet

   Tip: A cookie scoop ensures uniform meatballs that cook at the same rate; uneven sizing leads to some being overcooked while others are undercooked

5. 5

   Bake the meatballsOven 400°F / 205°C

   • Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated 400°F (204°C) oven.
   • Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the meatballs are lightly golden brown on the outside and cooked through.
   • To check doneness, cut one meatball in half—the interior should no longer show any pink, and a meat thermometer should read 165°F (74°C).

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   Ready when: Meatballs are lightly golden brown on the outside; internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) with no pink inside

   Tip: Chicken meatballs are lean and can dry out if overbaked; start checking at 15 minutes and pull them out immediately when the internal temperature hits 165°F

6. 6

   Rest and serve the meatballs

   • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the meatballs rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
   • This resting period allows residual heat to gently finish cooking the interiors while the exteriors stay moist.
   • If desired, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley for color and brightness.
   • Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping, toss with hot pasta, or enjoy as an appetizer with toothpicks.

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   Ready when: Meatballs have cooled slightly and are ready to eat

   Tip: The resting period is crucial for keeping meatballs juicy; do not skip it or bite into them immediately, as the interiors are still cooking