Ingredients (~12 servings)
- ~3 lbs Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 3 lbs ground chicken
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dried fennel seed (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Fresh basil, minced (optional)
- Cooked pasta, for serving, optional
Get Your Oven to 450F and Prep the Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 450F with a rack in the center position.
In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the thyme, 1 1/2 tsp of the salt, and 1/3 cup of the olive oil.
Arrange the seasoned tomatoes on a large baking sheet, cut sides up.
The cut side up helps them roast better and concentrate their flavor instead of steaming.
Form the Meatballs and Add to the Same Pan
In the bowl you used for the tomatoes, combine the chicken, eggs, fennel (if using), parmesan, garlic, bread crumbs, and the remaining 3 tsp of salt.
Mix well with your hands – don’t overwork it but make sure everything is combined.
With wet hands, form golf ball-size meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and arrange on the sheet pan with the tomatoes.
Wet hands prevent the mixture from sticking to you. You should get ~36 meatballs.
Roast Everything Together at 450F
Roast meatballs and tomatoes for ~20 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to soften and are slightly browned.
The meatballs will be mostly cooked but not golden yet.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and increase the temperature to 500F.
Brush with Oil and Finish at 500F
Brush the meatballs with the remaining 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for another ~5 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and register 165F internal.
The higher heat gives you that golden color and crispy exterior.
Toss and Serve
Once tomatoes and meatballs have roasted, toss them together right on the pan.
The tomatoes will have broken down into a chunky sauce that coats the meatballs.
Serve over cooked pasta if using, and top with basil, a drizzle of olive oil and more parmesan.
Italian Baked Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Ingredients (~12 servings)
- ~3 lbs Roma tomatoes halved
- 1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
- 3 lbs ground chicken
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dried fennel seed optional
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Fresh basil optional, minced
- Cooked pasta for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F with rack in center position.
- Toss halved tomatoes with thyme, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup olive oil.
- Spread tomatoes cut-side up on baking sheet.
- Mix ground chicken, eggs, fennel, parmesan, garlic, breadcrumbs, and remaining salt in bowl.
- Form 36 golf ball-sized meatballs with wet hands.
- Arrange meatballs on sheet pan with tomatoes.
- Roast 20 minutes until tomatoes soften and begin browning.
- Increase oven to 500F.
- Brush meatballs with remaining olive oil.
- Roast additional 5 minutes until meatballs are golden and reach 165F.
- Toss meatballs and tomatoes together on pan.
- Serve over pasta, garnish with basil and extra parmesan.
