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Cheesy Italian Ground Chicken Meatloaf

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Switch up meatloaf night with Cheesy Italian Ground Chicken Meatloaf. This easy ground chicken meatloaf is delicious and tastes just like yummy chicken parmesan with three kinds of cheese, marinara sauce, and Italian herbs.

Ingredients

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Meatloaf

  • 2 pounds lean ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Filling

  • 1/2 cup full fat ricotta cheese, drained*
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Topping

  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Sprinkle of parsley after baking, if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper, ensuring it hangs over the sides for easy lifting.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, marinara sauce, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper and stir until evenly combined.
  • In another mixing bowl combine drained ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and parsley, and stir until evenly combined.
  • Next, place half of the meatloaf mixture into the bottom of the parchment paper lined loaf pan, ensuring it gets into all the corners.
  • Make a slight groove down the center of the meat and fill with cheese mixture. Top with the remaining meatloaf mixture, and use a spatula to evenly spread it in the pan, ensuring the cheese filling is fully covered.
  • Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and top with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.  Place meatloaf back in the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. (I recommend using this digital thermometer)
  • Once fully baked, let cool on a wire cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
  • If desired, top with a sprinkle of dried parsley, slice, and serve with additional marinara sauce.
YouTube video

Notes

Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-heat leftover slices in the microwave in 30 second-1 minute increments until warm.

To freeze, wrap individual slices in aluminum foil and place in a freezer safe bag or container, and freeze up to 3 months. Re-heat slices in the microwave until warm (no thawing needed).

Find it online: https://www.kindlyunspoken.com/ground-chicken-meatloaf/