Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf
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If you love chicken parmesan, you’re going to want to try it in meatloaf form. This Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf is juicy, cheesy, packed with garlic, herbs, and Parmesan, and topped with marinara and plenty of melty mozzarella.
It’s basically all the cozy flavors of chicken parm in an easy-to-make meatloaf, and yes, I highly recommend serving it with pasta (or my favorite side salad) and extra marinara for the full experience!
Looking for a more traditional meatloaf recipe? Don’t worry! Try this Sheet Pan Meatloaf which is another one of my weeknight favorites.
Or, for more simple weeknight dinners you’ll love, try this Cheesy Ground Beef Tortellini Bake, One-Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese, Slow Cooker Garlic Ranch Chicken & Potatoes, Ground Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato Bowls, Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Rice, Chicken Piccata Meatballs, or Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken.
And if you’re tired of always trying to figure out what’s for dinner, be sure to sign up for my free weekly meal plan, Dinner Decided, where I’ve already done the thinking for you. Every other week, you’ll get 5 easy dinners, a sweet treat, and a shopping list sent straight to your email! Plus, each meal plan prioritizes smart ingredient overlap to minimize food waste and strategic uses for leftovers.
Table Talk with Tawnie
I love a classic chicken parmesan, but during the week I really don’t have time to stand over the stove and pan-fry cutlets or set up a breading station, ya know?! So this chicken parmesan uses ground chicken with lots of seasonings, so it’s juicy and packed with flavor, and it gets topped with red sauce and, of course bubbly, melty mozzarella. It’s something my kids can enjoy, and I love serving it with protein pasta!
- Ground chicken: I recommend using ground chicken that isn’t extra-lean. The little bit of extra fat helps keep the meatloaf juicy and tender.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Panko keeps the meatloaf light and tender rather than dense. They’re soaked in milk first to make a quick panade, which helps lock in moisture.
- Yellow onion: Grating the onion helps it blend right into the meatloaf while adding tons of flavor and moisture. If your onion is exceptionally watery, you don’t need to add all of the excess liquid. If there’s just a little, though, I like to add it in because those onion juices help keep the meatloaf extra juicy.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite marinara here! We love using Rao’s Marinara, but any marinara you love will work.
- Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan goes right into the meatloaf for lots of savory, cheesy flavor, while freshly shredded mozzarella gets melted over the top for that classic chicken Parmesan finish. I like to use a microplane for the Parmesan because it gets it really fine and easy to mix in.
- For serving: I love serving this with extra marinara, fresh basil or parsley, and a little more freshly grated Parmesan. Add your favorite pasta or protein pasta and a simple salad or veggie on the side for an easy, complete dinner.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Make the panade
Combine the panko and milk. Stir and let sit for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs and Worcestershire sauce.
Make the meatloaf mixture
Add the rest of the meatloaf ingredients and gently combine. Be careful not to overmix!
Shape & bake
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and gently shape it into a loaf. Spread marinara evenly over the top and bake for ~35-40 minutes.
Make it chicken parm
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly all over the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, then broil for 1-2 minutes at the very end.
Enjoy!!
Let the meatloaf rest for ~10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil (or parsley) and Parmesan. Serve with additional warm marinara on the side and enjoy with your favorite pasta and veggies!!😋
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the panade: Soaking the panko in milk helps keep the chicken meatloaf tender and juicy instead of dense or dry.
- Use ground chicken that isn’t extra-lean: A little bit of fat makes a big difference here and helps keep the meatloaf moist.
- Grate the onion: It might seem like an extra step, but grated onion practically melts into the meatloaf and adds tons of flavor and moisture. If your onion is especially watery, you can leave some of the excess liquid behind.
- Do NOT over-mix: Use your hands and mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing or packing the mixture too firmly can make the meatloaf dense.
- Freshly grate the Parmesan if you can: I like using a microplane so the Parmesan blends right into the meat mixture.
- Don’t worry about making a perfect loaf: Just shape it into roughly an 8×4- or 9×5-inch loaf. It doesn’t need to look perfect before it goes into the oven!
- Broil the cheese at the end: Keep a close eye on it, but 1-2 minutes under the broiler gives you those bubbly, golden-brown spots that make this feel like actual chicken parm.
- Let it rest before slicing: Give the meatloaf about 10 minutes to rest after baking. This helps keep all those juices inside and makes it much easier to slice without falling apart.
Variations / Substitutions
- Use Italian breadcrumbs: You can swap the panko for Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs. If you do, you may want to slightly reduce the Italian seasoning in the meatloaf.
- Try a different cheese: Mozzarella gives you the classic chicken parm flavor, but provolone or a mozzarella-provolone blend would also be delicious.
- Add spinach: Finely chop a handful of fresh spinach and mix it into the meatloaf for an easy veggie boost.
- Swap the herbs: If you don’t have fresh basil or parsley, you can use additional Italian seasoning. Fresh herbs are my favorite, but don’t let not having them stop you from making this!
- Make mini meatloaves: Divide the mixture into smaller individual loaves and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Just be sure each one reaches 165°F in the center.
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Storage / Freezing
- Refrigerator: Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave or gently in the oven until warmed through. Serve with extra warm marinara to keep it nice and saucy.
- Freezer: You can freeze the cooked meatloaf either whole or in individual slices. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and place in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. I especially like freezing individual slices so I can pull out exactly what I need.
- To reheat from frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when possible, then reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through. Add a little extra marinara before reheating to help keep the meatloaf moist.
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (grated (if your onion seems exceptionally watery you don’t need to add all the excess liquid in, but if there is just a little, the extra onion juices help add flavor and keep the meatloaf juicy!))
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 lbs. ground chicken (preferably not extra-lean)
- 5-6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I use a microplane)
- 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Chicken Parmesan Topping
- 1 cup marinara sauce (divided)
- 1-1½ cups freshly shredded low-moisture mozzarella
For Serving
- Additional warm marinara
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Pasta/Protein pasta
- Salad/veggie of choice
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the panade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the panko and milk. Stir and let sit for about 5 minutes Start Timer, allowing the breadcrumbs to absorb the milk. Whisk in the eggs and Worcestershire sauce.1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup whole milk, 2 large eggs, 1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Make the meatloaf mixture: Add the ground chicken, yellow onion, garlic, Parmesan, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Using clean hands, gently mix just until everything is evenly incorporated. Don’t overmix or pack the mixture together too firmly; this can make the finished meatloaf dense.2 lbs. ground chicken, 5-6 cloves garlic, 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1½ tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 medium yellow onion
- Shape: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and gently shape it into a loaf. It doesn’t have to be perfect; a loaf about 8×4 inches or 9×5 inches is great. I always just eyeball it. Spread 1/2 cup marinara evenly over the top.1 cup marinara sauce
- Bake: Bake for ~35-40 minutes. Start Timer
- Make it chicken parm: Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly all over the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes Start Timer, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the center of the meatloaf reaches 165°F. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the very end Start Timer, watching carefully until the cheese is bubbly and golden.1-1½ cups freshly shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- Rest: If any cheese melts or slides off the meatloaf, it’s ok, you can try to scoot it back on the meatloaf or just snack on it! 😉 Let the meatloaf rest for ~10 minutes before slicing Start Timer. This helps it retain its juices and ensures it doesn’t fall apart when you slice it.
- Enjoy: Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and Parmesan. Serve with additional warm marinara on the side and enjoy with your favorite pasta and veggies!Additional warm marinara, Fresh basil or parsley, Freshly grated Parmesan, Pasta/Protein pasta, Salad/veggie of choice
Notes
- Don’t over-mix: Use your hands and mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing or packing the mixture too firmly can make the meatloaf dense.
- Breadcrumbs: You can swap the panko for Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs. If you do, you may want to slightly reduce the Italian seasoning in the meatloaf.
- Store: Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave or gently in the oven until warmed through. Serve with extra warm marinara to keep it nice and saucy.
- Freeze: You can freeze the cooked meatloaf either whole or in individual slices. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and place in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. I especially like freezing individual slices so I can pull out exactly what I need.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Lorena Masso
