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Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs

Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs reads umami 7.1, richness 5.9 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 29 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Richness 5.9 · Salinity 4.8 · Herbaceous 3.8 · Allium 3.4 · Nutty 2.4 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Sourness 2.1 · Earthy 1.9 · Floral 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Bitterness 1.4 · Citrus 1.3 · Fruity 1.1 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (14)

• chicken — 454 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• regular milk — 59 g
• egg — 100 g
• parmesan cheese — 57 g
• garlic — 12 g
• basil — 15 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• marinara sauce — 680 g
• whole wheat hoagie rolls — 400 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g
• provolone cheese — 224 g

Time & effort: about 29 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 294.1 kcal, 13.1 g protein, 13.4 g fat, 33.1 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a small bowl, stir together the panko and milk; let sit until the panko has fully absorbed the milk, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, soaked panko, egg, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, half the garlic, the basil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined — overworking the meat makes the meatballs tough. Form into 16 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches each.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear, turning once, until deeply browned on two sides, about 4 minutes total (they won't be cooked through yet); transfer to a plate.
4. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining garlic to the skillet, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the marinara sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Return the meatballs to the skillet, cover, and simmer gently until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a meatball reads 165°F, 12-14 minutes.
6. While the meatballs simmer, heat the broiler. Split the hoagie rolls and spread the cut sides with the softened butter. Broil, cut side up, until golden at the edges, 1-2 minutes, watching closely so they don't burn.
7. Nestle 4 meatballs into each toasted roll along with a few spoonfuls of the sauce from the skillet, then lay 2 slices of provolone over the top of each.
8. Return the filled subs to the broiler and cook just until the provolone is melted and bubbling, 1-2 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve immediately, while the rolls are still crisp and the cheese is molten.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken Parmesan with Melted Mozzarella — Italian-American
• Chicken Parmesan Sliders — Italian-American
• Chicken Parmesan Meatball and Ricotta Bake — Italian-American
• Chicken Parmesan Meatballs over Zucchini Noodles — Italian-American
• Baked Chicken Parmigiana Meatloaf — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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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.