Who can resist a plate full of Chicken Parmesan, with tender chicken covered in tomato sauce and melty cheese? It’s a classic Italian comfort food dish that appeals to almost everyone. Unfortunately, it’s not the most keto-friendly option on the menu.
Good news, friends! These Chicken Parmesan Meatballs take all those flavors and turn it into a mouthwatering meal that fits perfectly into your low carb lifestyle. Juicy chicken meatballs topped with roasted tomato sauce and plenty of mozzarella and Parmesan – without the unnecessary carbs.
These easy meatballs have quickly become one of my new favorite protein packed recipes. I made them for a friend when she came to dinner and she had two helpings. And the kids and I enjoyed the leftovers for several days.
They’re fantastic served over zucchini noodles or with a side of keto breadsticks. And the whole kitchen smells like an Italian restaurant while they bake!
Reasons To Try This Recipe
- Classic Flavor: This tastes just like the Chicken Parm you used to love, but in easy, bite-sized form.
- Juicy meatballs: No dry chicken meatballs here! Browning in a pan and then baking in tomato sauce ensures that they stay moist and delicious.
- Cheesy and satisfying: Flavor-packed meal with plenty of mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Make ahead recipe: You can prep the meatballs and freeze for later or you can make the whole dish for easy meals for the week.
- High protein: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs have a whopping 39 grams of protein and less than 7 grams of carbs per serving.
- Gluten-free: Ideal for anyone avoiding wheat and gluten.
- Universal appeal: Great for guests or a cozy family meal.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground chicken: You can also use ground turkey or any ground meat you prefer. Keep in mind that beef and pork will release a lot more fat and liquid while cooking.
- Almond flour: This takes the place of panko brad crumbs. You can use other nut or seed meals, but I don’t recommend coconut flour. It will make the breadcrumbs dry.
- Parmesan: It wouldn’t be Chicken Parmesan without it! You can grate your own or purchase it pre-grated.
- Italian seasoning: This adds a little extra flavor. You can use dried rosemary if you prefer.
- Tomato sauce: I love this dish with my homemade roasted tomato sauce. But your favorite low carb marinara will be great too!
- Mozzarella: Plenty of mozzarella on top makes it extra delicious.
- Kitchen staples: Egg, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
How to make Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Prepare the meatball mixture: Combine the ground chicken, almond flour, and seasonings. Mix well with your hands.
- Roll into balls: Use wet hands to roll the mixture into balls. You should get between 30 and 36 meatballs. Refrigerate 30 minutes to help firm them up.
- Pan-fry: Brown the meatballs in batches in a skillet, making sure to get them nicely browned on multiple sides.
- Add the toppings: Spread the meatballs with the tomato sauce and add the cheese.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Tips for Success
Don’t overwork the meatball mixture, as it can make them tough and dry. Simply combine everything with your hands until nicely combined.
Ground chicken is very soft and a little sticky, so keeping your hands wet allows you to form the meatballs properly. I simply fill up a bowl so can I can dip my hands whenever necessary.
Refrigerating the meatballs for 30 minutes helps firm them up so that they keep their shape as you pan-fry them.
Choose your cheese wisely! I recommend a good melty mozzarella for that gooey Chicken Parm consistency. I had some grated cheese from Rumiano and while it was delicious, it did not melt that well. I couldn’t get that stringy melted cheese when I scooped some up with my spoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! It has a similar taste and texture to ground chicken, so it should work nicely. Beef and pork can also work but will release a lot of fat when browning so you may want to spoon that off before baking.
Yes! You can prep and pan-fry the meatballs in advance, and then assemble the meal when you are ready to cook. Or you can prepare and bake the whole recipe, and refrigerate or freeze after that. Thaw completely before warming in the oven.
These Keto Chicken Parmesan Meatballs have 6.6g of carbs and 2g of fiber per serving. If you count net carbs, that comes to 4.6 grams per serving.
More Keto Chicken Recipes to Love
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lb (907.18 g) ground chicken
- 3/4 cup (84 g) almond flour
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) Parmesan, grated, divided use
- 1 large egg
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (245 g) roasted tomato sauce
- 1 cup (112 g) shredded mozzarella
- Chopped parsley or basil for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, almond flour, two thirds of the parmesan, the egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands to combine well.
- Fill a shallow bowl with water and dip your hands. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls, wetting hands whenever the mixture gets too sticky. You should get 30 to 36 meatballs.
- Set the balls on a waxed paper lined tray and refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Add half of the meatballs and brown all over (they do not need to be fully cooked through). Transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining oil and remaining meatballs. Then transfer all of the meatballs back into the pan in an even layer.
- Spread the tomato sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle the top with the mozzarella and the remaining parmesan.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped herbs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Made these tonight and they tasted amazing! Recipes like this make keto easy 😁
Great to hear!
I made this today, but with ground beef. I served it over creamy mashed cauliflower. It was so delicious that I had to make myself stop eating it!
So glad you enjoyed it!
So yummy! The roasted tomato sauce is what makes this and I added all three cups! I did bake the meatballs in the oven to avoid having to clean the stovetop and it worked out well. Thank you for another incredible recipe Carolyn!
Made this tonight and it was a hit. Even our 3yr old toddler enjoyed it with pasta. the meatballs didn’t really hold together but it tasted delicious anyway. I’ll definitely be making this again. Highly recommended.
I am allergic to tomato, any recommendations for a substitute?
Sorry, not sure what to suggest. I bet you could google it to get some ideas!
I made these earlier this week and just had some of the leftovers. One thing I did differently was put the meatballs straight into a casserole dish and baked them for 15 minutes then topped them with the tomato sauce and cheese and finished them off in the oven. It turned out wonderful. We served it with the Slow cooker Spaghetti Squash recipe but I accelerated it via the Instant pot and put the loosed squash in an 8×8, topped it and finished it for the last 10-15minutes with the meatballs. Great dinner and very filling for my boys in the house.
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make, big on flavor.
These look so good I can’t wait to try them! Next week with most of my bunch home for the holidays will give me just the opportunity to try them.
Delicious! 😋
Would guess work replacing the almond flour with crushed pork rinds? That may take the net carbs down even lower right?
Sure you can do that.
This was absolutely delicious Carole, I only used half the recipe since it’s just my Husbamd and I. This will be a keeper!
Thank you!
Sounds ideal!
Easy and everyone loved them
Thanks!
This was awesome! I only made half of the recipe and a 9” skillet would have been perfect. As it was the tomato sauce got a little too thickened (evaporated) but since it had melted cheese in it no one cared.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious, tender meatballs!
Thank you!
These are delicious, and worth the time investment! Your times may need updated though. Your total time is 1 hour. But 30 minutes for chilling, 30 minutes for baking are an hour. It doesn’t allow for the mixing, making the meatballs, and browning the meatballs. I would say more like 1.5 hours total time. But like I said, well worth it!!!
Oh good point! Sometimes I just add up the prep and cook time. I will modify that.
I made these last night and they were delicious! I air-fried the meatballs and this helped them keep their shape. I served them with some low-carb rotini pasta. Very good!
That’s an excellent idea. I might try air-frying next time too!
How long did you air fry them for?
is the quantity of chicken in this recipe correct, almost a kilo?
thanks
1 pounds = 453 grams. So yes, it’s correct.