Description
Saucy Chicken Piccata Meatballs combine tender ground chicken meatballs with a bright and tangy lemon-caper sauce. This Italian-American dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a flavorful main course that pairs well with pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Piccata Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for cooking)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup capers, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional, for thickening)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined to avoid tough meatballs, then form the mixture into small meatballs about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter.
- Cook Meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides and ensure they are cooked through. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Make Piccata Sauce: In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the low-sodium chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and rinsed capers. Bring the sauce to a simmer. If a thicker sauce is preferred, whisk in the flour carefully and cook until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Return the cooked meatballs to the skillet with the sauce. Simmer together for 5–7 minutes so the meatballs absorb the zesty flavors of the sauce and stay moist.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the meatballs and sauce just before serving. Serve immediately with your choice of pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Notes
- These meatballs are excellent served over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs and omit the flour or replace it with cornstarch.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice and capers to prefer a milder or more pronounced piccata flavor.
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
