Stretchy cheese pull, golden pastry bandages, and a pool of warm marinara — these spooky mummy chicken meatballs are the Halloween party bite that disappears first. Juicy seasoned chicken meatballs are wrapped in crisscross strips of puff pastry, baked until golden, then finished with melted mozzarella and candy eyes for the full mummy effect. Ready in about 40 minutes, and just as fun to make as they are to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
- Candy eyeballs or small mozzarella pearls with black olive dots, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, panko, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, parmesan, and parsley until just combined — don’t overmix or the meatballs turn tough.
- Roll the mixture into 16 even meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches across, and place them on the baking sheet.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out slightly and cut it into thin strips, about 1/4 inch wide.
- Wrap each meatball with 3–4 pastry strips, crisscrossing them like mummy bandages and leaving a small gap near the top for the eyes.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden and the meatballs are cooked through (165°F inside).
- Top each mummy with a small handful of shredded mozzarella and return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, just until the cheese melts into a gooey pull.
- Press two candy eyeballs (or mozzarella pearls with olive dots) into the gap on each mummy. Serve hot over warm marinara for dipping.
Pro Tips
- Keep the pastry strips thin and slightly stretched as you wrap — thick strips won’t crisp evenly.
- Chill the wrapped meatballs for 10 minutes before baking so the pastry holds its shape and puffs up tall.
- For the stretchiest cheese pull, use low-moisture mozzarella and serve the meatballs straight from the oven.
- Make the meatballs a day ahead and refrigerate, then wrap and bake just before the party.
Spooky Mummy Chicken Meatballs with Mozzarella Pull and Marinara
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, panko, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, parmesan, and parsley until just combined — don’t overmix or the meatballs turn tough.
Roll the mixture into 16 even meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches across, and place them on the baking sheet.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out slightly and cut it into thin strips, about 1/4 inch wide.
Wrap each meatball with 3–4 pastry strips, crisscrossing them like mummy bandages and leaving a small gap near the top for the eyes.
Bake for 20–22 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden and the meatballs are cooked through (165°F inside).
Top each mummy with a small handful of shredded mozzarella and return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, just until the cheese melts into a gooey pull.
Press two candy eyeballs (or mozzarella pearls with olive dots) into the gap on each mummy. Serve hot over warm marinara for dipping.