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Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

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Today, I turn over a new leaf. My goal is to prepare meals for the upcoming work week. The challenge? To make all of our meals low-carb.

After snagging marked-down ground turkey from Target ($2 off!), I knew I had the base for what would become delicious Chicken Parmesan Meatballs hot from the oven.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare and includes easy clean-up, a win-win, right?! I know you’re a hard-working, busy home cook, and the last thing you need is a complicated dinner recipe. I can help!

Begin by setting out all your ingredients, grabbing the necessary utensils, including a large mixing bowl, and preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

All you need to do is mix all of the ingredients (except the sauce and some of the cheese) with your hands in the large bowl. Spray a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Later, place medium-sized meatballs on the baking sheet, top with jarred spaghetti sauce and a bit of shredded parmesan.

Feel free to add more sauce than I did, if you prefer.

Bake the meatballs at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and cover them with a tablespoon or more of spaghetti sauce and a heaping amount of shredded mozzarella, and a bit more shredded parmesan.

Return the baking sheet to the oven, then set the oven to broil. Watch the meatballs closely and remove them once the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

The meatballs slide off the foil easily.

You could garnish with more chopped fresh parsley for added color. Either eat the meatballs on their own or add them to a bowl of pasta with more spaghetti sauce.

The Chicken Parmesan Meatballs could also be served in a toasted, halved baguette to make a sandwich. (We’re really trying to eat low-carb meals, so we nixed that idea, but boy would it be scrumptious! While these meatballs have bread crumbs, we’re not serving ours on pasta or as a sandwich, thus cutting significant carb intake.)

When the workweek leaves you feeling drained, and you can’t find the energy to make dinner, Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are a grab-and-heat-up option that goes well over al dente pasta or inside a crusty baguette.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

onedelightfullife.com
Melted cheese and tangy sauce make these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs a scrumptious dinner option.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Appetizer, dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 14 meatballs

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
  • 2 T. chopped onion
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 c. shredded parmasen
  • heavy pinch of kosher salt
  • heave pinch of ground pepper
  • 1 clove of garlic chopped
  • 1 T. Italian seasoning
  • 1 egg whisked
  • Jarred spaghetti sauce
  • 1 c. shredded mozzarella

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degress.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.
  • Mix all of the ingredients, expect the spaghetti sauce and mozzarella, in a large bowl by hand until well incorporated.
  • Form medium sized meatballs by hand and place on the foil lined baking sheet.
  • Top each meatball with about a teaspoon of spaghetti sauce and lightly sprinkle parmesan on top.
  • Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the meatballs from the oven, top with more sauce and add a heaping amount of mozzarella on top of each one. Set the over to broil.
  • Broil the meatballs on the top shelf for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly, golden brown.
  • Serve the meatballs warm or add to pasta with more sauce.

Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

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Healthy comfort food.

Is there such a thing? Yes! If you swap the ingredients you use in a traditionally fattening comfort food for healthier options, you can! Gobble up my Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches for lunch or dinner and feel good doing it. Of course, I needed something to wash these babies down with so I opted for a cold, light beer.

These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!
These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!

In this recipe I use skim milk instead of heavy cream, low-fat shredded mozzarella, and ground turkey instead of fatty ground beef. The fresh herbs are aromatic and take basic turkey meatballs to the next level. Use fresh herbs, people! It makes the difference.

Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.
Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.

Rolling your meatballs in a bit of all-purpose flour is the key to a getting a crispy exterior. Once in the pot, rotate them often even allowing them to stand on end. Don’t walk away from the stove because you need to move the meatballs often using tongs.

Don't crowd your meatballs.You'll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.
Don’t crowd your meatballs.You’ll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.

Once the meatballs reach that beautiful golden color on all sides, remove them from the pan and let them rest. (Don’t worry if the meatballs are a bit soft on the inside still because they will finish cooking in the spaghetti sauce.)

Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don't have to place them on a rack to cool.
Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don’t have to place them on a rack to cool.

Finished cooking off the meatballs, add all of them back to the pot. Add your preferred jarred spaghetti sauce to finish cooking them on a low simmer with the lid on until you’re ready to make a sandwich.

Want perfectly browned mozzarella cheese and a slightly crispy bun? Place your meatball sandwiches under the broiler for a couple minutes or place them in a toaster oven on the broil setting. Watch them closely!

Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.
Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.

healthy-turkey-meatballs5 copy

Don’t forget to garnish your finished meatball sandwich with a tablespoon of chopped basil.

Healthy Turkey Meatballs Sandwiches

onedelightfullife.com
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course sandwich
Cuisine Italian
Servings 20 meatballs

Ingredients
  

  • 1 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella
  • 1 T chopped basil for garnish
  • 1 pkg Pepperidge Farms Top Sliced Hot Dog Buns
  • 1 jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
  • Meatballs:
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 T. fresh oregano
  • 2 T. fresh chopped basil
  • 3 diced garlic cloves
  • 2 T. parmesan
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c. skim milk
  • 3 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl.
  • Using your hands, make meatballs (slightly larger than a golfball) and place them in a slightly flour glass 9"x11" pan. Once all the meatballs are made, roll them around in flour to coat evenly.
  • Add 2 T. olive oil to large pot. Bring to medium heat.
  • Once at temperature, add 7-8 meatballs. Be careful not to crowd them.
  • Rotate the meatballs until they are golden on all sides. Continue to add more olive oil to the pot before adding additional meatballs.
  • Remove them from the pot and let them rest on a new glass pan.
  • Finish cooking all meatballs.
  • Reduce heat to low and add spaghetti sauce and return meatballs to the pot.
  • Cover and let simmer at least 10 minutes.
  • Add two meatballs into a split top hot dog bun and top with any extra sauce from the pot.
  • Top with low-fat shredded mozzarella and put in a toaster or oven on broil for 2-3 minutes to melt cheese to a bubbly golden brown.
  • Remove sandwich and sprinkle with chopped basil for garnish.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

You can use use ground beef rather than turkey.
If you roll the basil leaves like a cigar and then run your knife through them, you can chop it easily into ribbons.
Parmesan is salty so you cold eliminate the 1 tsp salt in the meat mixture.
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