Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Chicken Piccata Meatballs in a skillet.

This Chicken Piccata Meatballs recipe is a fun and delectable way to re-imagine Chicken Piccata. Those meatballs covered in that buttery lemon caper sauce are amazingly delicious!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

You’ll love this recipe because it has top-notch flavor. While the prep work was a bit more than your average weekday dinner recipe, the flavors made it well worth it.

Also, these meatballs store perfectly, so you could use them later or just eat them as a snack … which I did. And they were amazing just eating them as-is.

They go very well with your favorite pasta or can be served on their own. The meatballs’ flavors make this a great dish you can serve any way you like.

Our Easy No Knead Overnight Focaccia Bread or Easy Homemade Garlic Bread would accompany this meal perfectly. Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad, or our Arugula Fennel Salad make some very tasty salad options as well.

Ingredients Needed

Ground chicken and the usual ingredients for making a piccata sauce are all that are needed. We’re talking garlic, butter, lemon, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and amounts.

Ingredients for chicken piccata meatballs.
Ingredients for the Chicken Piccata meatballs.
Ingredients needed to make a chicken piccata sauce.
Ingredients for the Piccata sauce.

How To Make Chicken Piccata Meatballs

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Romano cheese, panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, chopped parsley, and lemon zest. Mix to combine well. Beat the egg and add it and the ground chicken to the breadcrumb mixture.

A bowl containing chicken piccata meatball mixture.
Chicken Piccata Meatballs mixture in a mixing bowl.

Combine gently, making sure not to overwork the meatball mixture. Using approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture, form into balls. Once this is done, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Chicken Piccata Meatballs mixture combined in a mixing bowl.
Chicken Piccata Meatballs on a dark plate, uncooked.

When the oil is shimmering, add the meatballs to the skillet. Cook the meatballs for approximately 6 minutes, turning often to achieve even cooking and browning. If necessary, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Chicken Piccata Meatballs cooking in a skillet.
Chicken Piccata Meatballs cooking in a skillet.

Once done, remove the meatballs and set aside. Add the butter to the same pan. Add the garlic and when the butter has completely melted whisk in the flour

Butter melting in a skillet.
Melted butter, garlic, and flour in a skillet cooking.

Slowly whisk in the chicken stock then add the capers, the caper brine, and lemon juice. Lower the heat to a simmer and allow to cook until it thickens, about 7-8 minutes.

A piccata sauce cooking in a skillet.
Piccata sauce cooking in a skillet.

Add the meatballs back into the pan and continue to cook for approximately five minutes. Spoon the piccata sauce over the meatballs while cooking. To finish, add some slices of lemon and garnish with some chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Chicken Piccata Meatballs cooking in a skillet.
Chicken Piccata Meatballs in a skillet.

Serve as-is, or enjoy with your favorite pasta.

Chicken Piccata Meatballs in a skillet.
Chicken Piccata Meatballs on a bed of pasta.

There’s no wrong way to enjoy these delicious meatballs. I even ate them cold out of the fridge! They’re super moist and flavorful and are definitely different than your standard meatball. Give it a go!

Tips

Don’t Overmix: When combining the meatball ingredients, mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs.

Uniform Size: Make sure all your meatballs are the same size to ensure even cooking. Using a cookie scoop or measuring spoon can help achieve this.

Browning: Don’t skip browning the meatballs in the skillet. This step adds a lot of flavor and texture to the final dish.

Thickening the Sauce: If your sauce isn’t thickening as desired, allow it to simmer a bit longer. Alternatively, you can use a little more flour to help thicken it.

Adjusting Tartness: Adjust the lemon juice and caper brine depending on your taste to make the sauce as tart or as mild as you like.

Variations

Turkey Piccata Meatballs: Substitute ground turkey for the chicken for a different flavor.

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe celiac-friendly.

Spicy Piccata: Add red pepper flakes to the meatball mix or the sauce for a spicy kick.

Vegetarian Option: Consider using a plant-based ground meat alternative for vegetarian piccata meatballs.

FAQs

Can I make these meatballs in advance?

Yes, you can prepare the meatballs and even the sauce in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator for up to two days before cooking.

How do I ensure my meatballs don’t fall apart while cooking?

Make sure the meatball mixture is not too wet, and don’t skip the egg, as it acts as a binder. Be gentle when turning the meatballs in the skillet.

Other Delicious Meatball Recipes

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Chicken Piccata Meatballs in a skillet.

Chicken Piccata Meatballs

You'll love these savory Chicken Piccata Meatballs with a zesty lemon caper sauce. Perfect for pasta or as a tasty appetizer!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 368kcal

Ingredients
 

Meatballs

  • 1 lb Ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
  • 2/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 Egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup Parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp Lemon zest
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Butter unsalted
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Flour
  • 1 cup Chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup Lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup Capers
  • 2 tbsp Caper brine

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine grated Pecorino Romano cheese, panko breadcrumbs, kosher salt, black pepper, minced garlic, parsley, and lemon zest.
    1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, 2/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 3 cloves Garlic, 1/4 cup Parsley, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp Black pepper, 1 tbsp Lemon zest
  • Beat an egg and add it along with ground chicken to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix until just combined.
    1 lb Ground chicken, 1 Egg
  • Using about 2 1/2 tablespoons per meatball, form the mixture into balls.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add meatballs to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all around and cooked through. Remove meatballs and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, melt unsalted butter.
    4 tbsp Butter
  • Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
    3 cloves Garlic
  • Whisk in flour until lightly browned.
    1 tbsp Flour
  • Gradually whisk in chicken broth, freshly squeezed lemon juice, capers, and caper brine. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 7 minutes.
    1 cup Chicken broth, 1/4 cup Lemon juice, 1/4 cup Capers, 2 tbsp Caper brine
  • Return meatballs to the skillet with the sauce.
  • Cook for an additional 5 minutes, spooning the sauce over the meatballs.
  • Optionally, garnish with lemon slices and chopped flat-leaf parsley.
  • Serve the meatballs with your favorite pasta or enjoy them on their own.

Notes

Leftovers?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in a skillet or microwave. For freezing, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 1427mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 771IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 2mg

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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