Say hello to the most delicious vodka sauce chicken parmesan meatballs! Juicy and tender chicken meatballs are tossed in silky vodka sauce and served with melty mozzarella and tons of fresh basil. They are a hit whichever way you serve them!
Cozy season is the best season.
These vodka sauce chicken parmesan meatballs are a dreamy little bite. Tender meatballs baked in creamy vodka sauce with melty mozzarella cheese and tons of fresh basil – it’s a dinner or game day dream. Serve them with little garlic crostini and you will be in HEAVEN.
It’s my monthly meatball recipe! I’ve mentioned before how my family are huuuuge meatball fans. I’m always looking for ways to spice things up and make a new and exciting meatball. Whether we eat it alone or on a sandwich or on pasta or with rice… new and exciting meatballs make the dinnertime special around here.
I will take just about anything for a dinnertime win. Tell me you’re a parent without telling me…
Anyway, these meatballs. I’ve shared some baked chicken parm meatballs before. These are a different recipe – they are the chicken meatballs I make for just about any dish where I serve them. They are so tender and juicy and do not dry out at all!
Adding them to the vodka sauce helps even more with that. The sauce also helps to keep them tender and imparts such wonderful flavor.
Because let’s be real…
EVERYTHING is better with vodka sauce. That is a hill I may die on. Perhaps it’s because I don’t love marinara sauce (and never did, until I was in my 30s) and there is something so wonderful about vodka sauce. It’s silky and smooth and ever so slightly sweet.
If I am making anything with tomato sauce at home, whether it’s for dinner or a party, I always make my vodka sauce. It’s easy and just the best.
While this recipe is a little high maintenance – after all it does require you to make the sauce, the meatballs and then bake everything together – you can still do it in one pan!
I brown the meatballs, transfer them to a plate and then make the sauce in the same skillet. Add the meatballs back in, give it some fresh mozzarella and bake until super bubbly and cheesy.
The kids love to eat these with pasta or with breadsticks. Fun fact: they buy lunch every meatball and breadstick day and it is their favorite meal. Like, so favorite that they beg me to make it! Often, I’ll make homemade breadsticks with meatballs like this and just serve it to them like that. As a side I will make my parmesan broccoli.
While it’s a fun meal, my preferred way is to eat these with toast, crostini or even in a wrap. Eddie’s is definitely with pasta or as a sandwich with lots of melty cheese on top. I stick the whole thing under the broiler until it’s golden and bubbly.
If you serve it on game day you can even just set out the skillet with a spoon! Others can eat the meatballs alone or however they wish – it makes for such a great dish to serve friends and family. Plus, the vodka sauce adds a nice touch. Every time I serve it, guests are like “what IS this sauce?!”
It’s the best. Just the best!
Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Meatballs in Vodka Sauce
Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Meatballs in Vodka Sauce
Say hello to the most delicious vodka sauce chicken parmesan meatballs! Juicy and tender chicken meatballs are tossed in silky vodka sauce and served with melty mozzarella and tons of fresh basil. They are a hit whichever way you serve them!
chicken meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground chicken, I like to use 94% lean
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, basil and chives
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
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Place the chicken in a large bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, parmesan, breadcrumbs and herbs. Mix gently until just combined.
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Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
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Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip gently and brown the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Shake the pan, tossing the meatballs around until browned all over. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
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Add the butter to the same skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir in the shallots and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften. Add in the tomato paste and stir, cooking for 5 minutes. The color will darken – this is where the flavor is!
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Stream in the vodka and stir, scraping the brown bits and flavor from the bottom. Stir in ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan, stirring until the cheese melts. Taste and season the sauce with more salt and pepper if needed. You can also stream in a bit more pasta water here if you want it slightly thinner.
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Add the meatballs into the sauce. Toss to coat. Place the fresh mozzarella on top.
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Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and top with the shaved parmesan, fresh basil and crushed red pepper. Serve as desired! I love to serve with garlic toasts.
buttery garlic toasts
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Make the toasts while the meatballs are in the oven. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic. Add as many baguette slides in a single layer as you can. Cook until golden and toasty. Flip and sprinkle with salt. Cook until the other side is golden and toasty too. Serve with the meatballs!
Cheese pulls for life.
