Chicken Parmesan Meatball Casserole is comfort food at its finest! If you are looking for the perfect easy chicken dinner recipe, you have to try this casserole layered with pasta, homemade chicken meatballs, and cheese!
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Casserole is one of my go to meals for when my family is craving a delicious and comforting meal. We love classic chicken parmesan, but this version may be even better! I love chicken parm in all forms, especially in french bread pizza form, but nothing beats a big, cheesy casserole on the table! With the weather getting colder, we all need a little comfort food now and then.
I first made chicken parmesan meatballs as an appetizer recipe for a party. I skewered them, topped them with cheese, and then we dipped them into marinara sauce. Everyone loved the recipe and its perfect for holiday entertaining! While the skewers are delicious, they aren’t dinner friendly, especially when serving a toddler! No one wants to be poked by a toddler brandishing a bamboo skewer like a weapon!
If cheesy pasta and flavorful chicken meatballs are your thing (and come on, isn’t it everyones?) then you will love this easy dinner recipe! You can make this ahead of time and bake right before serving. You could even make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them for whenever you will need them!
How to make chicken meatballs?
Chicken meatballs are so easy to make! Basically, you just substitute the traditional beef for chicken, and add the same ingredients you normally add! I always add milk to my meatballs because it adds some moisture and you definitely don’t want to skip the milk when making these, as chicken is leaner than beef and needs the fat. A hearty handful of parmesan cheese also adds lots of flavor and helps bind the chicken together.
January is such a funny month because we are all so torn between eating healthy and having lots of comfort food. For me, comfort food always wins out and this Chicken Parmesan Meatball Casserole is the the perfect comforting dinner!
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Casserole
Yummy layers of pasta, tasty chicken parmesan meatballs, and cheese make for the most delicious and comforting dinner!
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken breast
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
For the casserole:
- 1 lb long cut noodle, like ziti or penne cooked shy of al dente, and then drained
- 32 oz spaghetti sauce homemade or your favorite store bought variety
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- fresh basil, to garnish
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add all meatball ingredients to a bowl and mix well with your hands until all evenly combined. If mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs, if too dry, add additional milk.
-
Once well combined, roll meatball mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs, and place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.
-
Bake meatballs for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
-
Once finished, divide your pasta sauce between the cooked pasta and the meatballs.
-
In a large casserole dish, add your pasta. Top with meatballs, spread evenly across the dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, and then top each with slices of provolone cheese. Spread mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
-
Remove from oven and garnish with additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
I need to try this soon! Been hunting for some good comfort food dishes for winter and this sounds perfect. 🙂