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Easy Parmesan Chicken Meatloaf Recipe

This Parmesan Chicken Meatloaf is a lighter, protein-packed twist on traditional meatloaf. Made with lean ground chicken, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and a melty mozzarella center, it delivers rich comfort-food flavor without the heaviness. Perfect for healthy weeknight dinners or meal prep.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 900 g ground chicken 93% lean
  • 80 g onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 60 g seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 30 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 mozzarella cheese strings sliced into 1 cm pieces
  • 120 ml marinara sauce
  • 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
  • 20 g grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 120 g shredded mozzarella cheese

Method
 

  1. Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Cook diced onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes until softened. Cool completely.
  3. Mix Ingredients: In a bowl, combine ground chicken, cooled onion mixture, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt. Mix gently until just combined.
  4. Shape & Fill: Spread two-thirds of mixture into a 20cm x 10cm rectangle. Add mozzarella string pieces down the center. Cover with remaining mixture and shape into a sealed loaf.
  5. First Bake: Spread marinara sauce on top. Bake for 45 minutes.
  6. Make Topping: Mix panko, Parmesan, melted butter, and parsley. After 45 minutes, top meatloaf with shredded mozzarella and breadcrumb mixture. Bake 15–20 minutes more until golden and internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
  7. Rest: Let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

For a gluten-free loaf, use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs. Avoid overmixing the meat mixture to keep the texture tender.