Chicken Parmesan Meatball Sliders are toasted rolls topped with mini chicken meatballs, provolone cheese, and nut free basil pesto. They are the ultimate slider for Italian lovers.
32ouncesjarred pasta saucerecommended: Rao's Homemade Marinara
For the Meatballs:
½cupPanko breadcrumbsdivided
¼cupmilk
1egg
1clovegarlicminced
1teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
1teaspoondried parsley
½teaspoondried basil
1poundground chicken
For the Pesto:
1cuppacked fresh basil leaves
2small cloves garlicminced or grated
¼cupolive oil
¼cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepperto taste
For the Sliders:
18white dinner rolls
spray olive oil
9slicesprovolone cheese
Instructions
Add the sauce to a medium sized pot. Bring to a simmer.
Make the Meatballs:
Combine ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs with the milk in a medium mixing bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
¼ cup milk
Add the remaining breadcrumbs, egg, garlic and seasoning to the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix to combine.
1 egg, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon dried basil
Add the ground chicken to the breadcrumb mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
Form the meat into either 36 mini or 18 full size meatballs. Place the meatballs in the sauce so they are submerged. Cook for 20 minutes over medium-low or until the meat is cooked completely at reaches at least 165°F internally. Cover the pot to prevent the sauce from splattering. You may vent the lid to allow some moisture to escape so the sauce thickens slightly.
Make the Pesto
Combine the pesto ingredients in the bowl of a mini food processor. Scrape down the sides and process until the mixture is uniformly chopped.
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, 2 small cloves garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Sliders:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Slice the dinner rolls in half and lay open on a baking sheet. Spray the rolls lightly with olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes, just until lightly toasted.
Place two mini meatballs on the bottom portion of each roll. For full sized meatballs, slice each meatball in half and place both halves, flat side down, on the bottom portion of the roll. Spoon a small amount of sauce over the meatball(s).
Cut each slice of provolone into 4 equal pieces. Top the meatballs with 2 pieces of provolone per slider.
Bake the sliders again for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Add a spoonful of pesto on top of the cheese, then place the top roll on top to make the slider. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate and will vary based on your ingredients and substitutions. Source: Adapted from Everyday AnnieYou're Gonna Bake It After Allbakeitafterall.com