Description
Juicy chicken meatballs infused with lemon, capers, and herbs, finished in a buttery piccata sauce for a bright and savory dish.
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, chopped capers, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper. Add ground chicken, grated cheese, and 6 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Mix gently until combined.
- Place the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. With wet hands, form about 12 meatballs and roll each in breadcrumbs to coat.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for about 10 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through.
- Transfer meatballs to a platter and cover to keep warm.
- Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits, and cook for about 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice, capers, and parsley. Spoon the sauce over the meatballs and serve warm.
Notes
- Wet hands help prevent the meat mixture from sticking when forming meatballs.
- Do not overmix to keep the meatballs tender.
- Serve over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
