Gluten Free Parmesan Chicken Meatball
If you’re looking for a wonderful gluten-free Chicken Meatball recipe, this is one of my favorite recipes we’ve ever done. There’s something so special about winter cooking that feels entirely soulful and beautifully indulgent. This gluten-free chicken meatball is the kind of recipe that is such a joy to cook and absolutely delicious to eat.
One of my favorite restaurants, Farina’s Supper Club, is the inspiration for this chicken meatball. They have a fantastic one on the menu, but it’s gluten-full. I’ve been determined to recreate it with gluten-free breadcrumbs, and I’ve finally mastered it! Our wonderful chicken meatball starts with high quality chicken. Let’s do our best to support local farms whenever possible.
Is there anything better than a big meatball?! I love using this meatball to make a meatball salad with some greens and pepperoncini, but have fun with all the ways you can enjoy it. And by the way, “by itself” is an excellent way to enjoy this chicken meatball!
What You Need for Your Chicken Meatball
- Ground chicken
- Freshly grated parmesan
- Whole milk ricotta
- Gluten free breadcrumbs, white bread
- Kosher Salt & Pepper
- Egg
- Jars of marinara
- Fresh parsley
- Green salad or pasta for serving
How to Make Your Chicken Meatball
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, make the chicken meatball mixture. Mix the chicken, ½ cup grated parmesan, ricotta, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until well combined. Then add the egg and combine. Tip: This was a new method for me to wait to combine the egg, and it was a revelation! It created a creamy lusciousness that is so delicious.
Divide the mixture into 12 even meatballs, ours measured about 4.2 ounces a piece. When making the meatballs, slightly oiling your hands helps keep the mixture from sticking. Teri Tip: Weigh the empty mixing bowl first so you can subtract from the final weight when ready to make the meatballs. If you do not own a scale, you can eyeball it – just form the mixture into a log, divide it into four equal pieces then divide each of those pieces into 3 to create 12 equal balls.
Place the meatballs, evenly spaced, in a large Dutch oven and pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Put the uncovered Dutch oven in the oven for 35 minutes. Then, pull the Dutch oven out and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of parmesan over the meatballs and continue to bake for 5 more minutes, still uncovered.
Remove the Dutch oven and sprinkle your chicken meatballs with parsley. Serve and enjoy!
If you make this chicken meatball recipe, rate and review it below. I can’t hear what you think! If you’re looking for more fun, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok!
PrintGluten Free Parmesan Chicken Meatball
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This chicken meatball is so luscious and delicious. It’s perfect for a family Sunday dinner, but it can also be put together on a weeknight!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan, divided
- 2/3 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 cup super soft gluten free breadcrumbs, white bread
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 2 (24-oz) jars of marinara, we used Rao’s
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Green salad or cooked noodles, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the chicken, ½ cup grated parmesan, ricotta, breadcrumbs, pepper, and salt until well mixed and the ricotta is fully incorporated. Add the egg and mix until well combined.
- Measure the mixture on your scale and divide the mixture evenly into 12 meatballs. When making the meatballs, work quickly so that the meat remains cool and easy to form, and lightly oil your hands to help keep the mixture from sticking. Note: if you want much bigger meatballs then divide them into 8.
- Spread ½ teaspoon of olive oil over the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Place the meatballs, evenly spaced, in the bottom and pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. If you cannot fit them all, with a little bit of space in between each, into the bottom of the pan then place however many you can in the bottom then pour the first jar of marinara over the top of them. Then add a layer of the remaining meatballs and pour the second jar over them, to ensure all the meatballs are covered in sauce.
- Put the uncovered Dutch oven in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Pull the Dutch oven out and, if the sauce is really bubbling, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan over the meatballs and continue to bake for 5 more minutes, still uncovered. Note that if the sauce is not really bubbling, you’ll want to add more time, to ensure the meatballs are cooked through.
- Remove the Dutch oven and sprinkle with parsley over top.
- Serve and enjoy!
For a Meatball Sub
- Cut a baguette in half length wise and top with two pieces of cheese of your choice. Toast the bread and cheese until melted and bubbly.
- Top with the meatballs, marinated onions, parmesan, and parsley. Enjoy!
For a Meatball Salad
- If desired, warm the meatballs.
- Toss romaine lettuce, kosher salt, and Marinated Onion oil in a bowl.
- Top with the meatballs, Marinated Onions, pepperoncini, and olives. Enjoy!
Notes
I’ve always followed my mom’s recipe, which used a bit less bread, but with the gluten free bread I needed to use more.
Looks delicious! Is the cooks adventure ground chicken all breast, or mixed dark and white meat?
I was really surprised that you didn’t have to cook the meatballs before adding them to the sauce!
Wow these are so good. I subbed the chicken for 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb ground pork. I am really regretting that I’m too full to eat more!!
Silly question. By placing your Dutch oven into the oven uncovered, does the sauce get all over the inside of your oven when it becomes bubbly, which I’m assuming it does?
It shouldn’t, but my Dutch oven is deep enough where that doesn’t happen. If you’re scared that might happen, I’d suggest put a sheet tray underneath or tent it with foil with some holes if you’re concerned.
Really good – not a surprise coming from Teri. Solid addition to my repertoire and I’ve already shared it with family.
Thank you for this.
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This is my third time making these meatballs. I also love green chili ones. Sooo delicious. My kids love these.
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I’ve made this at least half a dozen times! It’s a crowd pleaser and we love it! I sometimes add the Trader Joe’s truffle tomato sauce for a little extra depth of flavor. One question I have is the recipe calls for one egg, but in the preparation directions, it says egg(s). Is it one or 2 eggs? Also, I always have to cook mine for 15-20 minutes longer than the recipe calls for if that helps anyone.
Oh, thank you for catching that! When we were recipe testing we started out with two eggs but realized that it was too wet of a meatball so it does call for just one egg. So glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe! Definitely a family favorite.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Teri! I skipped the egg and breadcrumbs and instead added a puree of sautéed fennel, onion, and garlic. The meatballs were delicate and pillowy and absolutely delicious! This will be my new go-to recipe!
Made these last week and they were excellent! Definitely putting into my meal rotation.