Easy Baked Chicken Meatballs and Homemade Marinara Sauce

What's a better comfort food than pasta and meatballs in marinara sauce? To me, I can't think of anything more delicious, hearty and comforting than this combination of flavors. And if you are on a weight loss or health journey, rest assured that these flavors can all be enjoyed when done in moderation. I usually enjoy a great beef meatball, but for this recipe, I have swapped out the beef for lean chicken breast. The flavors are delicious and light, and these easy baked chicken meatballs and homemade marinara sauce is so easy to make for a weeknight meal or meal prep for the week!

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken meatballs, marinara sauce, pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 479kcal

Author Steph

Equipment

mixing bowl
muffin pan
frying pan
large pot

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken breast 98-99% fat free
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp basil fresh, chopped
2 tbsp parsley fresh, chopped

Marinara Sauce & Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic fresh, minced
4 cups cherry tomatoes 1.5 lb container
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp basil fresh
8 oz pasta raw, uncooked, dry (I used Penne), equivalent to 1/2 lb of pasta

Instructions

Chicken Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken breast, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and Italian seasoning.
Chop the fresh basil and parsley and add the herbs in.
Mix the meat mixture until all ingredients are combined, and then scoop into 12 equal size meatballs.
Spray the openings of a muffin pan, and add a meatball to each opening.
Bake the meatballs for approximately 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165F.

Marinara Sauce and Pasta

Mince the fresh garlic. Add the olive oil to the frying pan with the minced garlic.
Bring the heat to medium and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and cover the pan with a lid.
Steam the cherry tomatoes so they become soft and break down; remove the lid every so often and use a wooden spoon to break down the tomatoes.
The tomatoes will eventually break down to form a sauce (about 15 minutes) - use your judgment here but see blog post for photos.
Add the salt and fresh basil to the sauce and taste for seasoning.
Toss the cooked meatballs in the sauce.
In the meantime, cook the pasta according to package directions and add it to the sauce and meatballs. Add pasta water as needed to help the ingredients combine.

Nutrition