Chicken Parmesan Meatball Poppers

A shocking statement -- I don't love Chicken Parmesan.  My husband loves it, but me?  Eh, I don't hate it, but I don't gravitate to it.  A few weeks ago, one of my friends (sorry, I can't remember who) posted the link to this recipe on Facebook.  I thought it looked interesting, and I figured I would pin it on Pinterest to save for ... whenever.  That's what I love about Pinterest -- it's a placeholder for things that doesn't clog up anywhere else, but it's right there when you need it.  When I decided that the theme for New Year's would be "balls", I saw that I had saved this recipe.  I figured I would give it a whirl, and knew that my husband would at least be happy.  What I didn't expect was how much I would absolutely love them!  I actually loved them more than he did (he said his favorite was the Arancini balls that Catherine made).  Considering there were only two left on the plate by the end of the party, I think they were a hit.  Thank you to whichever friend posted this on Facebook... YUM!

• 1 lb. ground chicken breast
• ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• ½ small onion, grated
• 2 Tbsp. marinara sauce
• ½ Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  
  
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded Italian blend shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
   
3. Set aside 1 cup marinara and shredded Italian cheese.
   
   
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.
5. Mix well, but do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs.
6. Using a small scoop, portion out meat mixture and place on baking sheet.
7. After all meatballs have been scooped onto tray, roll into balls.
8. Bake for 16-18 minutes until lightly browned.
9. Remove from oven and drizzle a spoonful of marinara over each meatball and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
10. Return to the oven and either bake for another 5-10 minutes; or set oven to broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  

Yields approximately 50+ Small Meatballs 

Adapted from Parade