Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

If you are looking for a dinner that is sure to wow, this chicken Parmesan meatloaf is just the thing. It is loaded with flavor and of course plenty of cheese. This is a special meal that the whole family is going to love.

Showing melted cheese and pesto inside marinara and cheese topped chicken meatloaf.

This chicken meatloaf combines two favorite dinner entrees, meatloaf and chicken Parmesan into one amazing dish.  It is stuffed with cheese and topped with it too, so you know it is going to be good. 

The result is a flavorful and fun twist that is sure to get your family to the table. Serve with a little pasta and a salad for a hearty family meal or something worthy of company.

Meatloaf is one of those family dinner classics.  It reminds me of diner plates, mashed potatoes and dinner around the table.  It is filling, meaty and reminiscent of childhood.

Whole chicken parm meatloaf topped with marinara and melted cheese, ready to be sliced and served.

Chicken Parmesan is one of those dinners that everyone I know loves.  It is full of flavor and oddly a comfort food in it’s own right.

There is melty cheese, tomato and chicken goodness.  It is not something I make at home often, but it inspires meals we have.

Twists on that theme are always popular on our dinner table.  Slow cooker chicken parmesan sandwiches are a staple on our menu rotation and the no boil chicken pasta bake is a great way to stretch chicken to feed a crowd.

Slice of cheese and pesto stuffed chicken meatloaf, ready to eat.

For a fun twist on a chicken parm and pasta mash up, try chicken Parmesan stuffed shells. They are fancy enough for guests, but really pretty simple to put together.

So of course putting them together is going to be a hit!  This meatloaf is stuffed with cheese, so there’s that to look forward to.  It’s flavored with pesto, so you know it’s going to be flavorful.

Instead of ketchup or BBQ sauce on top, you get the goodness of spaghetti sauce.  This is an easy way to add loads of flavor with almost no work.  And of course a little more cheese never hurt a thing!

Side Dish Ideas

You could serve this with mashed potatoes like a traditional meatloaf if you’d like.  But we like it with some simple pasta tossed in butter, garlic salt and sprinkling of Parmesan.

Add a side salad with some of Aunt Ellen’s homemade Parmesan dressing and it’s a meal fit for a king! If salads aren’t your thing, a little steamed or roasted broccoli would also be amazing.

Knife slicing chicken meatloaf topped with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese, about to show the melted cheese and pesto inside.

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If you are making this for a special occasion, be sure to serve it with something fun for dessert like MiMi’s Italian Lemon Bundt Cake. 

If you like the idea of stuffed Italian goodness, try the stuffed meatball meatloaf which is similar to this, but made with ground beef instead.

Now that you’ve got this on the menu for dinner, just imagine the meatloaf sandwich the next day. Make some garlic toast and put on a slab of this goodness for an out of this world lunch!!

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a meatloaf fall apart?

If you don’t use enough binding ingredients, like eggs and breadcrumbs, the meatloaf can crumble and fall apart. This recipe uses seasoned bread crumbs and eggs to hold it together. Plus there is plenty of gooey cheese to keep it succulent and delicious.

Lifting slice of chicken parmesan meatloaf out of the loaf showing the melted cheese center with bits of pesto mixed in.

Can you freeze meatloaf to bake later?

Yes! You can freeze a raw meatloaf to be baked later. Leave the toppings off, but assemble meatloaf over a plastic wrapped lined sheet pan.

Freeze the meatloaf until it is solid then wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost meatloaf in the refrigerator overnight before baking according to the recipe directions.

How do I store leftover meatloaf?

Store any meatloaf leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can freeze leftover slices for up to 3 months.

Showing melted cheese and pesto inside marinara and cheese topped chicken meatloaf.
4.84 from 18 ratings

Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

Author: Carlee
Servings: 12 Servings
If you are looking for a dinner that is sure to wow, this chicken Parmesan meatloaf is just the thing! It is loaded with flavor and of course plenty of cheese!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup pesto
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 2 cups marinara sauce

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • In a large bowl mix chicken, bread crumbs, eggs, parmesan cheese.
    2 pounds ground chicken, 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Dump meatloaf mixture onto wrap and pat into a 9" x 13" rectangle.
  • Spread the pesto over the meatloaf mixture. Leave an inch on the long side farthest from you and the two ends. Top with 2 cups of mozzarella.
    1 cup pesto
  • Using the plastic wrap to help, roll the meatloaf into a log. Lightly press on the ends and along the seam to seal in the yummy goodness,
  • Place on parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet, seam side down.
  • Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and top with marinara and remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melty and the internal temperature reads 165°F on a meat thermometer.
    2 cups marinara sauce

Notes

Ground turkey is a great alternative if you can't find ground chicken.

Video

Youtube video

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 722mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g
“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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4.84 from 18 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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71 Comments

  1. This sounds amazing! We love meatloaf and chicken parm, so this will be a big hit at our house! Yum!

  2. anne@simpleandsavory says:

    this is such a good idea! I'm adding this to my recipes to try list!

    1. Yay! I hope you enjoy it!

  3. Oh my goodness gracious – this sounds amazing!

  4. I love twists on the classics like this one. I definitely have to put this one on the menu!

    1. Me too, I think it's fun to combine two familiar things and make something new!

  5. Thank you, I'm trying to find recipes to entice my guys into eating ground chicken. They both love chicken parm, so I think this will be a winner!

    1. I am sure it will be! I can't wait to hear all about it!

  6. Camilla M. Mann says:

    I can totally see why this was a loved post. Wow! I have to see how I can work this in to this weekend's menu, Carlee.

    1. Thank you Camilla! I hope you and your gang love it!

  7. Ginny McMeans says:

    Why not! I've never heard of chicken meatloaf and congratulations on the feature! I'm sure people will love this!

    1. Thank you so much! We love this combination =)

  8. Haley D Williams says:

    Wow! I love that you get the best of two worlds in this dish!

  9. What an interesting take on meatloaf!

  10. Chicken and parm, in meatloaf form!? This is amazing and completely irresistible – a great recipe!

    1. Crazy, right? Thank you!