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    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Baked Chicken Marsala Meatballs Recipe

    Published: Apr 24, 2021 · Modified: Nov 5, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    432 shares
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    5 from 21 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinterest image for chicken meatballs with a mushroom marsala sauce

    I love meatballs and my Baked Chicken Marsala Meatballs is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this classic Italian dish substituting the typical meatball mixture with ground chicken.

    chicken marsala meatballs in a white bowl

    For about ten years I didn’t eat red meat and learned to love chicken burgers and chicken meatballs. Most people use ground turkey for their non-beef ground meat dishes, but I always found ground turkey too dry and tasteless.

    Although ground chicken is a little harder to work with, with its wetter consistency, the texture and flavor are so much better than ground turkey.

    Add in a mushroom marsala sauce and you’ve just elevated this dish to another level of deliciousness!

    Table of Contents:

    • What Ingredients do I need to make Baked Chicken Meatballs?
    • Can I use Ground Turkey instead of Ground Chicken?
    • Do I have to use a Marsala sauce with my Chicken Meatballs?
    • How do I make Chicken Meatballs with a Mushroom Marsala Sauce?
    • Can I saute the Chicken Meatballs?
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Baked Chicken Marsala Meatballs
      • Ingredients
        • Meatballs
        • Mushroom Sauce
      • Instructions
        • Meatballs
        • Mushroom Sauce
      • Nutrition

    What Ingredients do I need to make Baked Chicken Meatballs?

    ingredients to make baked chicken meatballs

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Baked Chicken Meatballs. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Can I use Ground Turkey instead of Ground Chicken?

    You sure can. You could even use ground beef, your favorite blend of meats, or the new vegetarian ground meat.

    Do I have to use a Marsala sauce with my Chicken Meatballs?

    No, you don’t! Their equally delicious in a tomato sauce (homemade or store bought).

    How do I make Chicken Meatballs with a Mushroom Marsala Sauce?

    two pictures, one of the bread crumbs soaking in milk and the other of all the ingredients in a bowl

    The first step in making the meatballs is prepping the bread crumbs for the mixture.

    Once you’ve mixed the milk with the bread crumbs and allowed it to sit for five minutes, you can add it to the rest of the ingredients.

    finished chicken meatball mix in a glass bowl

    Gently mix together the ingredients until combined. Do not overmix!

    rows of raw meatballs on a sheet pan

    Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the meatballs. Roll the mixture into balls and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

    *Plastic gloves will make the job easier. If you don’t have gloves try wetting your hands.

    cooked chicken meatballs on a sheet pan

    Place the sheet pan under the broiler and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the meatballs get nicely browned. Remove the baked chicken meatballs from the oven and set aside until needed.

    *The meatballs might not be fully cooked through, but they will finish cooking in the sauce.

    Can I saute the Chicken Meatballs?

    Yes, you can. Add oil to a large saute pan and sear on as many sides as possible. Be gently with the meatballs as they’re softer than beef meatballs.

    ingredients for mushroom marsala saucde

    While the meatballs are cooking, get the ingredients for the mushroom marsala sauce ready.

    four images showing how to make mushroom marsala sauce
    • Heat one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to the pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes allowing the mushrooms to caramelize.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the mushrooms and mix well, allowing the flour to cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
    • Add the ⅓ cup marsala wine and stir until the mixture is smooth.
    • Whisk in the chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes.
    • Add the cream, parsley,/ and season to taste.
    how to make beurre manie

    If the sauce isn’t thick enough, add one tablespoon of butter rolled in flour (beurre manie) to the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more marsala, stock or water to the pan.

    meatballs added to mushroom marsala sauce in a saute pan

    Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to let the flavors blend.

    overhead view of chicken marsala meatballs in a white bowl

    Your friends and family are going to love these tasty Chicken Marsala Meatballs! Serve them over noodles, rice or in a hoagie roll as a submarine sandwich.

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    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    overhead view of chicken marsala meatballs in a white bowl
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 21 votes

    Baked Chicken Marsala Meatballs

    When you're looking for a fun, easy and delicious weeknight meal my Baked Chicken Marsala Meatballs is sure to please. Serve them over noodles or on a hoagie roll with a side salad or your favorite sides and watch your family ask for more!
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Entree, Entree with side dish
    Cuisine: Italian – American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 310kcal

    Ingredients

    Meatballs

    • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
    • ¼ cup milk at room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon marsala wine
    • 2 pound ground chicken white meat
    • ½ cup grated Romano cheese plus extra for serving
    • 2 large eggs beaten
    • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ⅕ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon granulated onion

    Mushroom Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 1 tbsp flour
    • 16 ounces baby portabella mushrooms sliced
    • 6 ounces marsala wine
    • 4 ounces chicken stock
    • 1 ounce heavy cream or light cream. Sour cream or Greek Yogurt will also work.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Meatballs

    • In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, milk, and one tablespoon marsala wine. Allow this mixture to soak for 5 minutes.
    • Add the ground chicken, Romano cheese, eggs, parsley, sea salt and black pepper.
    • Gently mix together the ingredients until combined. Do not overmix!
    • Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the meatballs. Roll the mixture into balls and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
      *Plastic gloves will make the job easier. If you don't have gloves try wetting your hands.
    • Place the sheet pan under the broiler and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the meatballs get nicely browned.
      *The meatballs might not be fully cooked through, but they will finish cooking in the sauce.
    • Remove from the oven and set aside.

    Mushroom Sauce

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to the pan, over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes allowing the mushrooms to caramelize.
    • Add flour to the mushrooms and mix well allowing the flour to cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes
    • Add the ½ cup marsala wine and stir until the mixture is smooth.
    • Whisk in the chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes.
    • Add the cream, parsley and season to taste.
    • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to let the flavors blend. Finish the sauce with ¼ cup of marsala.
      If the sauce isn't thick enough, add one tablespoon of butter rolled in flour (beurre manie) to the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more marsala, stock or water to the pan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 509mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!
    Pinterest image for chicken marsala meatballs

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. CATHY JOHNS

      April 05, 2023 at 8:12 pm

      How much flour? It does not say. Also, butter is listed (again, no quantity), but nowhere does it say to add butter. Am I missing something?? Hoping for a quick response as I’m making this tomorrow!! (4/6/23) Thank you.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 06, 2023 at 7:31 am

        hi Cathy
        Thanks for letting me know about the post, there was a glitch with my recipe plugin with its recent update. I have added the amounts and made the ingredients and instructions more easily understandable.

        Reply
    2. Jamie

      May 03, 2021 at 12:58 am

      5 stars
      These meatballs were delicious for dinner and made our whole house smell so lovely! It went great with some steamed veggies on the side.

      Reply
    3. Naiby

      May 02, 2021 at 11:38 pm

      5 stars
      When you brought marsala sauce, I knew your meatballs were going to be brought up to another level! Thanks for your recipe!

      Reply
    4. amy

      May 02, 2021 at 10:45 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great idea to bake the meatballs! And the addition of cheese to the meatballs sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try this recipe ~ thanks!

      Reply
    5. Silvia

      May 02, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      We love meatballs at home and I’m always looking for new recipes, this one was a winner. Fairly easy to prepare and full of flavor. We will be making them again.

      Reply
    6. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer

      May 02, 2021 at 2:55 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for taking such a classic chicken recipe and making it into delicious meatballs! These are perfect for a pot luck, game night, or when you want finger foods! Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Veronika Sykorova

      May 02, 2021 at 2:37 am

      5 stars
      I’ve never tried marsala wine, this sounds absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to make these for dinner tomorrow!

      Reply
    8. Amy Liu Dong

      May 01, 2021 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      Seeing this dish making my mouth watering. I will def save this recipe and make this for my family this weekend.

      Reply
    9. Elizabeth

      April 27, 2021 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! Great recipe!

      Reply
    10. Linda

      April 27, 2021 at 1:28 am

      5 stars
      Oh yum! I love chicken marsala but never thought of making a baked version until I found this recipe and it’s a hit!

      Reply
    11. Kim Guzman

      April 26, 2021 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing! I’m going to add the ingredients to my shopping list this week. I must have this on the weekend. Yum!

      Reply
    12. Raquel

      April 26, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      What a wonderful way to enjoy the flavors of Chicken Marsala. Delicious and easy to make!

      Reply
    13. Kay

      April 26, 2021 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      Chicken meatballs are fab, but the best thing about this recipe is the marsala sauce! It is so moreish!

      Reply
    14. Desicart

      April 26, 2021 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      Nice blog to follow while preparing recipes.Thank you so much for sharing with us.

      Reply
    15. Ramona

      April 26, 2021 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      This was a truly delicious recipe, we all thoroughly enjoyed it and will make it again in no time. Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    16. Freya

      April 26, 2021 at 7:47 am

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe!

      Reply
    17. Marcellina

      April 26, 2021 at 7:19 am

      5 stars
      What a delicious combination of flavours! I’ve made chicken breasts in a similar way but never thought to use ground chicken. Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    18. Sue

      April 26, 2021 at 6:37 am

      5 stars
      These look so delicious, and that mushroom sauce is calling my name!

      Reply
    19. Jere Cassidy

      April 25, 2021 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      I love meatballs, no spaghetti needed, and glad to have a chicken meatball recipe. Can’t wait to try.

      Reply

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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