Delicious chicken parm meatballs featuring ground chicken and hot Italian chicken sausage, baked in marinara sauce with melted mozzarella and parmesan, and garnished with fresh basil.
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Combine the panko breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl and let soak for ~10 mins until the panko absorbs the milk.
3. In a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients for the meatballs along with the panko + milk; mix to combine and form into 1+1/2” meatballs (or you can plop the meat directly into the pan with a cookie scoop).
4. Preheat a large oven safe skillet over medium and add some olive oil; sear meatballs in batches until each one is browned on 3 sides (don’t worry if your meatballs are not perfectly round they will still be delish!); meatballs do not need to be fully cooked through (just browned) because they will finish cooking in the oven.
5. Once all the meatballs are browned, leave as many as will fit in one layer in the skillet and add the rest to another baking dish.
6. Pour the marinara sauce on the meatballs to cover and then top with a layer of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and internal temp of meatballs reaches 165F, then broil the top for 1-2 mins so cheese gets golden brown; garnish with fresh basil leaves and enjoy!
