Chicken Parm-Ish Meatballs

This is one of those pantry-pull recipes, when I needed to use up some items in my fridge.  It ended up being so popular, that I had to make another batch once the first had been finished.  It is sort of inspired ny chicken parm without all the fuss, but plenty of cheese.  I did use sliced provolone in this recipe (it’s what I had), but feel free to substitute sliced mozzarella instead.  Resist the temptation to top the meatballs with shredded cheese; the slices fold over the meatballs and really amp up the cheesiness!   Also, the size of the jarred marinara sauce is just what I had on hand.  Finally, you can serve over pasta, but I was true to the pantry-pull theme and used leftover garlic mashed potatoes the first time around!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8  ounces mozzarella cheese, pearls drained
• 1  cup ricotta cheese
• 1  cup  freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1⁄2 cup  plain breadcrumbs
• 2  large eggs
• 4  tablespoons  minced garlic
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  lbs ground chicken
• 4  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 (20 ounce) jars  marinara sauce
• 8  slices provolone cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. in a large bowl, mix together mozzarella pearls, ricotta, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Add chicken to this mixture and combine until fully incorporated. Roll into golf ball size ( I got about 24). You may need to moisten your hands to keep the mixture from sticking.
3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add meatballs and brown likely, then add marinara sauce. Stir gently to coat the meatballs with the sauce. Bring to a boil, cover and put in the oven to bake. Meatballs should be cooked through after 20 minutes.
4. remove from oven and top the meatballs with the provolone slices, overlapping if necessary. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and slightly brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!