Servings: 4
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 cup cottage cheese (blended until smooth)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for coating)
- 1 large egg, 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Optional: 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (for topping)
Optional: 1/2 cup marinara (for dipping)
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 C) or Air Fryer to 390°F (200 C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend cottage cheese until smooth. In a bowl, mix ground chicken, blended cottage cheese, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and all seasonings until just combined.
- Scoop mixture into 1.5-inch balls, flatten slightly into nuggets.
- Press each nugget into the remaining grated Parmesan for a crispy coating.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes (or air fry for 10–12 min) until golden and cooked through.
- Top with a small spoon of marinara and mozzarella, then bake for another 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted.
P.S. If you are making it with shredded chicken, you should add one more egg and half a cup more cottage cheese, because shredded chicken is drier and needs more moisture (it's also a bit harder to shape into balls).