Italian-American · main

Chicken Parmesan Meatball and Ricotta Bake

Chicken Parmesan Meatball and Ricotta Bake reads umami 6.7, richness 5.7 and salinity 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Richness 5.7 · Salinity 4.7 · Herbaceous 3.9 · Allium 3.4 · Sweetness 2.4 · Sourness 2.2 · Funk & Ferment 2.1 · Nutty 2.0 · Floral 1.7 · Heat 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Citrus 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 1.1 · Earthy 1.1

What's in it (15)

Time & effort: about 25 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 281.7 kcal, 13.8 g protein, 13.3 g fat, 26.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, stir together the panko and milk and let sit until the crumbs soften and absorb the milk, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the ground chicken, Parmesan, egg, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the panko mixture. Mix gently with your hands just until combined - overworking the mixture makes tight, rubbery meatballs. Shape into 16 meatballs, about 2 tablespoons each.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches so you don't crowd the pan, sear the meatballs until deeply golden on the first side, about 3 minutes, then roll and brown the remaining sides, 2 minutes more; transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs. The centers will still be raw - that's fine, they finish in the oven.
  4. Pour off any excess fat, then return all the meatballs to the skillet. Pour the marinara sauce around the meatballs (not over the crust you just built) and bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, about 2 minutes.
  5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Dollop the ricotta in spoonfuls over the top, then scatter the mozzarella and a little extra Parmesan over everything.
  6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the meatballs reach 165 F at the center and the cheese is melted and golden in spots, 12-15 minutes.
  7. Let the bake rest 5 minutes so the sauce settles, scatter the parsley over the top, and serve straight from the skillet.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.