If you took all the best parts of Chicken Parmesan – the crispy breading, the ooey-gooey cheese, the savory chicken – and tucked them all into a meatball, you’d get these. Our Crispy Chicken Meatballs aren’t what you traditionally might find atop a bowl of spaghetti, but they are definitely all kinds of wonderful. They’re crispy, they’re cheesy, and whether they’re served as a starter or a main, they’re so delicious.
The meatball mixture itself is a combination of ground chicken, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, milk, egg, and breadcrumbs. But one thing that’s special about these meatballs is that it’s not just a meatball, you tuck a little cube of mozzarella into the center of each one.
And then each meatball is pressed into Panko breadcrumbs until the entire surface is coated.
From there they head into some piping hot oil where they get golden brown and irresistibly crispy.
The inside, though, is tender and juicy, with a surprise pocket of melty mozzarella.
A little dish of marinara for dipping is the perfect partner to these little beauties, but you could always tuck them into some sauce and serve them over pasta too. Either way, they’re sure to become a favorite!
Crispy Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- Oil, for frying, as needed
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 lb mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Marinara sauce, for dipping
Preparation
- Fill a large Dutch oven a third of the way with oil and place over medium heat. Bring oil to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, milk, egg, and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper, add the chicken, and work mixture together.
- Shape mixture into golf ball-sized balls and press a cube of mozzarella into the center of each one, sealing the meat around it.
- Season remaining breadcrumbs with salt and pepper and roll each meatball in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it into the ball to ensure it sticks.
- Fry a few meatballs at a time until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Cozy Apron.