Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Our Chicken Piccata Meatballs are gourmet, yet so simple to make in less than an hour with all of the classic Italian lemon and caper flavors. We love to serve them over pasta, polenta, sautéed greens, or even mashed potatoes.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- large skillet
- Small scooper for shaping 1 ½-inch meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ⅓ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons very finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil mixed into the meatball mixture
- Olive oil for pan-frying
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, parsley, shallot, capers, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix gently until just combined — do not overmix.
- With a small scooper, portion the mixture and roll into 18–20 meatballs, about 1 ½ inches each.
- Heat 3–4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the meatballs in batches, searing until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. (They don't need to be fully cooked yet.) Add more olive oil if needed and repeat with the second batch.
- After frying, carefully drain off excess oil from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon along with the browned bits.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter. Stir in the white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up browned bits, until reduced slightly.
- Add chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and let the sauce reduce for 3–4 minutes so it begins to thicken.
- Stir in the capers, then return the meatballs to the skillet. Cover and simmer gently 5–7 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs reach 165°F internal temperature.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce if needed. These meatballs do not freeze well, as chicken can become dry once thawed.
- Don’t over-mix the meatball mixture. Mix just until combined so the meatballs stay tender. If you do over-mix, the meatballs will become tough.
- Pan-fry the meatballs rather than bake. Browning in olive oil creates a golden crust on the outside while keeping the inside moist. If you want to bake the meatballs for ease, then that's fine you just won't have as much of a golden brown exterior.
- Be sure to squeeze the lemon juice fresh. This is not the time to use bottled lemon juice, to have the best piccata sauce and flavor, fresh is best.
- Shape the meatballs evenly so that they cook at the same rate. This is super important so that you don't overcook any of the chicken piccata meatballs which can also cause them to become dry. We like to use a cookie scoop or measuring cup to help with this.
- When it comes to serving the chicken piccata meatballs, we love to pair them with pasta, sautéed greens like spinach, polenta, or even mashed potatoes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce if needed. These meatballs do not freeze well, as chicken can become dry once thawed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 27gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 1322mgPotassium: 731mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 669IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 2mg
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