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Italian Baked Chicken Meatballs

Italian Baked Chicken Meatballs on a platter with roasted tomatoes basil and pasta
  • Serves:  8
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  25 min

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon dried fennel seed (optional)
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • Fresh basil, minced (optional)
  • Cooked pasta, for serving, optional

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the thyme, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ cup of the olive oil. Arrange the seasoned tomatoes on a large baking sheet, cut sides up.

  3. In the bowl used for the tomatoes, combine the chicken, eggs, fennel, if using, parmesan, garlic, bread crumbs, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix well, then with wet hands, form golf ball–size meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and arrange on the sheet pan with the tomatoes.

  4. Roast meatballs and tomatoes for about 20 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to soften and are slightly browned. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and increase the temperature to 500°F. Brush the meatballs with the remaining ¼ cup of the olive oil. Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and register 165°F on a meat thermometer.

  5. Once tomatoes and meatballs have roasted, toss them together. Serve over cooked pasta, if using, and top with basil, a drizzle of olive oil and more parmesan.