These chicken parmesan muffins have all the flavor of chicken parmesan in little meatloaf muffin form!
Two words that usually make me cringe when I see them on a menu: chicken parmesan.
Why?
Because it epitomizes crap Italian-American food, restaurants with a white, green and red color scheme on their sign (something that will immediately deter me from ever entering) and a deep fried piece of dry meat slathered in a jarred red sauce.
And, the saddest part is that most Americans think that’s what actual Italian food is.
That, fried calamari and mozzarella pronounced like it’s related to the applesauce company. I know we all can’t be Giada, but the “motts-a-rella” thing kills me.
Killlllls me.
I’m not trying to be some elitist American of Italian descent, but chicken parm should be light, full of fresh herb flavor with a hint of a salty bite from the parmesan cheese.
Not doused in sodium filled marinara sauce with enough grease dripping off of it to fry 10 pounds of potatoes.
So, when I accidentally picked up ground chicken instead of turkey a couple of weeks ago, I decided to run with the whole parmesan thing but in a meatloaf, muffin kind of way.
It was either that or make my ground chicken sausage patties for easy breakfasts. Both delicious options but chicken parm won out this time around.
A way that incorporated all the flavors of what chicken parmesan should be without the typical American bastardization (<—that’s kind of a fun word to use) of it.
They ended up coming out moist, filled with plenty of freshness from the parsley and basil, just enough salt from the parmesan and plenty of flavor from the sun dried tomatoes.
Topped with a dollop of sauce and shaving of fresh parmesan, it’s what Italian should taste like.
I made them with the intent of having a pre-made high protein quick option to add to meals for the week (similar to the turkey quinoa muffins) and they lasted all of 2 days between the two of us eating them at every meal we could justify (breakfast would’ve been a little weird).
No gaudy flag inspired decor, no grease, no nasty sauce.
Love light Italian flavored recipes like these chicken parmesan muffins? Be sure to try these turkey zucchini meatballs too!
And for another Italian classic with a twist, try this tomato butter stuffed chicken marsala or make chicken parmesan meatballs instead of muffins.
Chicken Parmesan Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken breast
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon liquid egg whites
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with hands until ingredients are fully distributed.
- Roll into balls to fit muffin tin (the mixture will be pretty wet) and drop in.
- Bake for approximately 35 minutes.
- Use a knife to help remove muffins once cooked and let cool on a wire rack.
- Top with fresh tomato sauce, basil and parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I love how you muffinized meatloaf this way and the addition of the sun dried tomatoes. Those are so magical! Gina, your pictures are so so so gorgeous.
Thanks for this amazing recipe. I will try this for my family. :)
Pretty clever. I love presenting traditional dishes in non-traditional ways.
Love your blog and this recipe is just amazing. Love the flavors !
Your pics are so delicious ^^
Californian kisses from a french girl !!
I haven’t found an Italian restaurant that I’m particularly fond of. I always know I can make something better myself!
Love your website, your food photso and your recipes. Just wondering when you are going Ito update your profile picutre. You are so adorable and that pic is not flattering. I don’t mean to offend or anything – I just think there could be a much better shot of you.
Yes Gina please flatter us with a better profile picture…
These look amazing!! I’m totally making these this weekend! I actually LOVE your picture :).
haha, thanks. Me too :)
Okay…so can anyone tell me/show me how to put my picture out here. I would love to have someone tell me it is not flattering! Seriously, how do I get my picture here??
I hope I figured this out; the picture part.
Ulysses/Sam:
Oh for the love of Mary and anyone else out there. Why don’t you post your pictures? This woman is beautiful; her foodie site is wonderful. Yes, she is adorable!!! (^_^)
Gracie- I appreciate the comment but just so you know Ulysses is my husband who was being a sarcastic ass to “Sam”… ;)
btw-if you’re trying to get your picture…you need to set up a gravatar account with the same email you use here to comment. Once you do that & upload a picture, any time you comment it should appear :)
Got the account, uploaded my picture, testing.
No luck :(
:( I’m sorry. that’s so weird…
I have ZERO Italian in me so mottzarella it is :p lol but seriously… this is such a fun idea!
I never get chicken parm pretty much for that reason. Just never seems appealing to me at all. THESE on the other hand sound delish. Printed and on the schedule for next week. I’m going to try and fit bastardization into a sentence by tomorrow. CHALLENGE! HA!
You should open a bonafied Italian (btw the way I have a friend who says “eye-talian”) restaurant and put these on the menu as an appetizer!!
omg, how do you even stand it?! haha
I bet some very well drained frozen chopped spinach would be awesome in these. I’ve been on a bit of a kick lately where I add spinach to everything.