Chicken Piccata Meatballs
These chicken piccata meatballs are juicy, tender, and simmered in a silky lemon butter sauce with capers. Served over orzo or pasta, this easy one-pan dinner is bright, comforting, and ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into smaller pieces
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 pound ground chicken, preferably dark meat
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup finely grated onion, from about 1/2 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- For the piccata sauce:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Make the meatballs:
- In a small bowl, soak the bread with the milk until fully moistened. Let sit for a minute or two, then gently squeeze out any excess liquid and mash into a soft paste.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, Parmesan, garlic, grated onion, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and the soaked bread. Mix gently until just combined (don’t overmix). If the mixture feels too soft to handle, refrigerate for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
- Roll into 1 to 1½-inch meatballs (about 1-2 tablespoons each). A cookie scoop makes this easier, but you can also use your hands - lightly wetting them helps prevent sticking. This recipe makes 15-20 meatballs, depending on size.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides (they don’t need to be fully cooked yet), about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Build the sauce:
- Lower the heat to medium-low. In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter and, once melted, the garlic, cooking briefly until fragrant. Add the wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for a couple minutes to reduce.
- Stir in the broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and capers. Let the sauce simmer for 2–3 minutes, just until slightly reduced and the flavors come together. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, or until cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the sauce has reduced slightly.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of cold butter, whisking until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Sprinkle with parsley and decorate with lemon wedges if desired.
- Serve over orzo, pasta, or rice, spooning plenty of sauce over the top.
Notes
- If your sauce looks oily or starts to separate, it likely got too hot. Turn off the heat and whisk in a splash of broth to bring it back together.
- Add the butter off the heat: this keeps the sauce silky and prevents breaking.
- Don’t overmix the meatballs or they’ll be dense instead of tender.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked meatballs (with or without sauce) for up to 2 months You can also freeze raw meatballs on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag once solid
Nutrition
Calories: 416kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 186mg, Sodium: 1695mg, Potassium: 772mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1098IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 165mg, Iron: 2mg