I've been making these chicken meatballs for years, and they've become my go-to when I want something comforting but don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. The idea came to me one evening when I was craving chicken parmesan but needed a dairy-free version that would work with our kosher kitchen. Instead of the traditional breaded cutlets smothered in cheese, I turned to meatballs that could deliver all those Italian flavors without breaking kashrut rules. The beauty of this recipe lies in how it captures the essence of chicken parmesan through seasoning and technique rather than relying on dairy. I use a generous amount of Italian herbs, garlic, and a touch of nutritional yeast to give the meatballs that umami depth you'd normally get from parmesan cheese. The panko breadcrumbs create a light, tender texture that's nothing like dense, heavy meatballs. I bake them instead of frying, which keeps things simple and lets the flavors shine through. What makes these meatballs special is how I finish them. After baking, I nestle them in a rich marinara sauce and let them simmer for just a few minutes. This step infuses them with even more flavor and creates a sauce that clings beautifully to pasta or polenta. The whole dish comes together in about 45 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table without much fuss. These meatballs work wonderfully over spaghetti or ziti, but I also love them with creamy polenta or even tucked into crusty rolls for sandwiches. They freeze beautifully too, so I often make a double batch and stash half for busy weeknight dinners.