Description
Juicy chicken meatballs infused with bright lemon and briny capers, finished in a rich piccata-style butter sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 6 tablespoons + 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position a rack in the middle.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, parsley, shallot, capers, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper. Add the ground chicken, grated cheese, and 6 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Mix gently until combined.
- Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. With wet hands, form 12 meatballs and roll each in the breadcrumbs to coat.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast, turning halfway through, until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Remove meatballs to a plate and keep warm.
- Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, capers, and parsley until the sauce is well combined.
- Spoon the sauce over the meatballs and serve warm with noodles or rice.
Notes
- Use slightly higher-fat ground chicken for juicier meatballs.
- Wet hands help prevent sticking when forming meatballs.
- The sauce can be adjusted with extra lemon juice for more brightness.
- Serve with pasta, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
