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–+ servings
A cast iron pan filled with Chicken Ricotta Meatballs in tomato sauce topped with melted cheese, surrounded by leafy greens, garlic bread, cheese, and glasses of red wine on a white surface.

Herby Chicken Ricotta Meatballs in Cheesy Marinara Sauce

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
These herby chicken ricotta meatballs are tender, flavorful, and baked right in a cheesy marinara sauce for the ultimate cozy, big-flavor dinner.
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Ingredients

Herby Ricotta Meatballs

Everything else

  • 1 jar marinara sauce, around 24 ounces
  • 1 ball fresh mozzarella, around 8 ounces

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, ricotta, basil, parsley, breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
    1 lb ground chicken, ¾ cup ricotta, ¼ cup EACH: chopped basil and chopped parsley, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
    Image for recipe instruction: Ground meat mixture with herbs and seasonings, perfect for Chicken Ricotta Meatballs, in a clear glass bowl on a white surface.
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion the meat, then, wet your hands lightly and roll them into balls. For speed, first scoop all the meat onto a plate, then roll all the balls at once.
    Image for recipe instruction: A white plate with evenly spaced Chicken Ricotta Meatballs mixed with herbs, next to a metal scoop holding one meatball, on a white marble surface.
  • Drizzle the olive oil into an oven safe pan and then add the meatballs. Bake for 10 minutes.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    Image for recipe instruction: Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with herbs arranged in a large round beige pan with handles, drizzled with olive oil on a light marble surface.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and pour the marinara sauce over the top. Tear the mozzarella ball into pieces and scatter them around the meatballs. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are fully cooked. If you'd like a little more color on the cheese, you can broil it for 3-5 minutes.
    1 jar marinara sauce, 1 ball fresh mozzarella
    Image for recipe instruction: A round black-handled pan filled with Chicken Ricotta Meatballs in tomato sauce, topped with dollops of melted cheese, sits on a white marble surface.
  • Serve the meatballs with a sprinkle of chopped basil.
    Image for recipe instruction: A pan of Chicken Ricotta Meatballs in tomato sauce with melted cheese and basil leaves, placed on a marble surface next to a checkered kitchen towel.

Notes

Store: Leftovers taste great! Store them in a covered container in your fridge for up to 4 days. 
Reheat: I prefer to reheat these on the stove, with a splash of water to loosen up the sauce. But a microwave also works well.
Serving: 1 = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 561kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 177mg, Sodium: 2162mg, Potassium: 1240mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1504IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 551mg, Iron: 4mg