Chicken Piccata Meatballs are a delicious twist on classic chicken piccata. The tender chicken meatballs are bathed in a tangy sauce made with lemon juice, capers, garlic and white wine, creating a burst of vibrant flavors!
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The Best Chicken Piccata Meatballs Recipe
These chicken piccata meatballs are an easy yet flavor packed meal that I literally cannot get enough of! If you have ever had chicken piccata, you know just how addicting it can be.
Traditional chicken piccata features thinly sliced chicken, browned in a pan and covered in a lemony white wine sauce that is packed with capers. This piccata recipe uses the same idea but instead of using full chicken breast, I made some easy chicken meatballs instead!
Ingredients Needed
For the Meatballs
- Ground Chicken: Ground chicken is best in this recipe as it goes well with the light, lemony sauce. You can also use ground turkey but I would avoid ground beef here.
- Egg: Egg helps to bind the meatballs together.
- Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs will keep these meatballs moist by absorbing the juice that is released as they cook.
- For Flavor: For extra flavor, season these chicken meatballs with fresh parsley, salt, pepper and lemon zest for extra lemony flavor!
For the Lemon pIccata Sauce
- Olive Oil: A little bit of olive oil to start will help the onion to cook nicely.
- Onion: Finely diced!
- Garlic: For a deeper, savory flavor.
- White Wine: White wine adds a depth of flavor to this sauce that you won’t otherwise get. However, if you prefer not to cook with wine, you can replace this liquid with extra broth.
- Chicken Broth: If using low sodium, you might have to add a little extra salt! Taste test and see at the end of the cooking process.
- Capers & Caper Brine: These add a lovely salty flavor that balances out the tangy lemon! This is a very common ingredient in piccata recipes.
- Lemon: Lemon juice at the end lifts the sauce and gives it that quintessential tangy flavor!
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan will add a bit of saltiness and creaminess to the sauce.
How to Make chicken piccata meatballs
- Make Meatballs: Add all of the chicken meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix to combine with your hands or a large spoon. Portion into meatballs, I got about 20 meatballs.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. You don’t have to cook the meatballs through completely right now as they will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Make the Sauce: Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside. Make the piccata sauce in the same pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Add the Liquids: Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan (scrapping the brown bits off the bottom). Add in the chicken broth, capers and caper brine. Bring to a simmer and return the meatballs back to the pan.
- Cook & Finish with Lemon: Cook for 2-3 minutes of until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
- Serve: Serve immediately with freshly chopped parsley for serving and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Since chicken is a lean meat, these meatballs are more fragile and prone to breaking. Form them into tight balls and try not to touch them too much while they are cooking! Only flip them one or two times.
- If the meatballs are sticking to the bottom of the pan that means they aren’t ready to flip. Give them a minute or two more in the pan before flipping.
- To check if the meatballs are done, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the largest meatball! Chicken should be cooked to 165 F.
- Don’t be shy with the capers! There is no salt directly added into the lemon piccata sauce, since capers are known to be quite salty. So don’t be shy! The capers add lots of flavor and a lovely texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is piccata?
The word “piccata” means to pound. Traditional piccata recipes use thinly sliced, pounded out chicken breast that are coated in flour and sautéed, then coated in a lemony, wine-based pan sauce. This recipe takes the idea of chicken piccata and simply makes it into meatball form!
How should I serve chicken piccata meatballs?
These chicken piccata meatballs can certainly be served all on their own as a full meal, however it is nice to have something to soak up that gorgeous sauce! I recommend serving on a bed of rice or mashed potatoes. Or simply serve with a piece of crusty, warm bread!
More Easy Meals to Make
- Butter Chicken Meatballs
- Marry Me Chicken
- Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Meatball Stroganoff
- Chicken Marsala
Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
Piccata Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/2 tbsp caper brine
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- fresh chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Add all of the chicken meatballs ingredients to a large bowl. Mix to combine with your hands or a large spoon.
- Portion into meatballs. I got about 20 meatballs.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook for 2-3 additional minutes. You don't have to cook the meatballs through completely they will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
- Make the piccata sauce. To the same pan add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.Add in the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes.Add in the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan (scrapping the brown bits off the bottom)Add in the chicken broth, capers and caper brine. Bring to a simmer and return the meatballs back to the pan.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley.Serve immediately with fresh chopped parsley for serving!
Nutrition Information
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