Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Cook Time: 20 minutes Difficulty: Easy
This meatball recipe is a fun spin on an old classic, Chicken Parmesan, a chicken dish consisting of chicken, topped with mozzarella cheese and smothered in a tangy marinara sauce. I mean, how can you top Chicken Parmesan, unless it's Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, made with Basil Pizzazz, our newest and exciting seasoning blend? This seasoning blend is AMAZING!!
I ran across a recipe for stuffed chicken parmesan meatballs and noticed that the spices in the original recipe were similar to the ingredients in our NEW Basil Pizzazz, so to me this was a no-brainer! My quest was set...to make flavorful chicken parmesan meatballs from scratch, stuff them with creamy mozzarella cheese, (a surprise my family would no doubt enjoy), and finish them off in a tangy spaghetti sauce.
Some of our best burgers or ground meat dishes have come from freshly ground meat straight from our kitchen. A few years ago, our friends shared their secret to their amazing burgers...freshly ground meat, using the Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment. Since then, it has been one of my favorite kitchen gadgets! I like that I get to grind my own meat and control what ingredients go into our recipes, including meatballs.
When I ran across this recipe for stuffed chicken parmesan meatballs (adapted from "Host the Toast", the blog from Kitchen Kapers, one of my favorite local stores here in PA), I knew I had to make this recipe from scratch using my meat grinder and our newest seasoning blend, Basil Pizzazz, the PERFECT addition to this dish! However, I didn't stop there, I went "scratch crazy" and made spaghetti sauce from scratch using you guessed it, Basil Pizzazz.
One word, Amazing! The flavor from the meatballs (and sauce) seasoned with Basil Pizzazz was outstanding and just as I had expected, my family was delighted at the gooey mozzarella inside the meatballs. They said, "Mom, this recipe is a keeper"...Sigh:) So, next time you're looking to tantalize your family's tastebuds and surprise them at the same time, you need to make this recipe!
Ingredients
1 lb. ground chicken (I used chicken breasts and ground with my mixer attachment)
1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning
1/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks (you could use mini mozzarella balls)
Cooking spray
Your favorite Spaghetti or Marinara Sauce (Mine is below)
Cooking spray
Fresh basil (garnish)
Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients
2 cans (28 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (feel free to use chopped fresh tomatoes)
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz (or more to taste)
1 bay leaf
The rind of Parmesan Cheese (optional)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp)
Mix all ingredients together in a pan and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf, parmesan rind, and serve with your favorite meatballs and pasta.
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, Basil Pizzazz, eggs, Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning, bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese.
Shape the meat into balls, about the size of a golf ball and press a chunk of mozzarella cheese into the middle of the meatball. Close the meatball, completely covering the cheese, (otherwise the cheese may ooze out) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray the meatballs with cooking spray.
While meatballs are cooking, heat up marinara/spaghetti sauce in a medium pan. Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are golden brown. Once parmesan balls are cooked, pour sauce over meatballs and spaghetti. Serve with a salad and our Savory Wedge Bread for a complete meal. Buon Appetito!
Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe