Welcome to a recipe that brings the heart of Italian-American comfort food right to your table! These large, succulent chicken meatballs are a lighter, yet equally delicious, alternative to the classic beef and pork versions. Each meatball is packed with flavor from fresh parsley, savory Parmesan, and a hint of garlic, all simmered in a simple but vibrant tomato sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a cozy Sunday meal, this dish is all about simple ingredients coming together to create something truly special. Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite meatball recipe!
Large Italian-style chicken meatballs in tomato sauce
Ingredients for Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- 700 g chicken fillet (or breast)
- 100 g Parmesan cheese
- 30 g parsley
- 40 g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 400 g canned tomatoes
- salt, sugar, pepper, paprika
How to Make Large Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Dice the chicken fillet, place it in a bowl, and grind for a couple of minutes. A blender makes this quick, but a meat grinder also works well for making ground chicken for this recipe.
Dice the chicken fillet and grind it for a couple of minutes in a blender
Rinse a bunch of fresh parsley, finely chop the herbs and stems, and add them to the ground chicken. Besides parsley, you can add a little cilantro or dill to the chicken meatballs, according to your taste.
Finely grate Parmesan or any other hard, savory cheese and add it to the bowl with the meat and herbs.
Peel the garlic cloves and crush them in a mortar with a teaspoon of coarse salt until you get a smooth, thick paste. Add the crushed garlic to the other ingredients.
Add parsley to the ground chicken
Add grated Parmesan or any other hard, savory cheese
Add the crushed garlic to the other ingredients
Add the breadcrumbs. If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can soak a piece of white bread in milk or cold water.
Add breadcrumbs
Crack a large chicken egg into the bowl, season with freshly ground black pepper, and add half a teaspoon of paprika. You can add more salt to taste, but remember that one teaspoon was already added with the crushed garlic.
Add a chicken egg, pepper, and paprika
With wet hands, form large balls. Each meatball should weigh about 100g (3.5 oz); I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the portions of mince to ensure they are all the same size. Pour a tablespoon of refined olive oil into a skillet, heat it well, and place the chicken meatballs in.
Quickly pan-fry until golden brown on each side, then transfer to an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for 7-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a simple tomato sauce. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet, add canned peeled tomatoes, and mash the vegetables with a fork. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar to taste, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Form large balls with wet hands
Pan-fry the meatballs and then transfer them to a preheated oven
Prepare a simple tomato sauce
Remove the meatballs from the oven, transfer them to the sauce, and heat everything together for a few minutes.
Simmer the large chicken meatballs in the tomato sauce. Done!
And there you have it—perfectly tender and flavorful chicken meatballs ready to be enjoyed! This dish is wonderfully versatile. Serve these meatballs over a bed of spaghetti for a timeless classic, tuck them into a crusty sub roll for a hearty sandwich, or simply enjoy them with a side of roasted vegetables. For a complete Italian experience, pair them with a glass of light red wine like a Chianti. Don't be afraid to make this recipe your own by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little heat. Buon appetito!
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