It's International Meatball Day! Who knew? I have my favorite meatball recipe inherited from my mother, that's made with beef, veal and pork, and no one will convince me there's a better version. I make it with and freeze large portions of sauce to have on reserve. You can find that recipe here. But occasionally, I want to branch out and try something new - and a chicken meatballs recipe from "A Simple Palate" sounded like just the ticket for a recipe that was a little more "heart-healthy."
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Chicken Piccata Meatballs
recipe adapted from "A Simple Palate"
Ingredients:
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- two large cloves
- 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 healthy pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons capers, rinsed & drained then roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- For the Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoon capers, rinsed & drained
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Instructions
- Make the meatballs: First, in a large bowl use your hands or a utensil to mix together the meatball ingredients (not including the butter and olive oil)
- Form the meatballs: Next, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Then use a cookie scoop or measure enough for a 2-inch sized meatball and use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place the meatballs on the sheet pan and repeat until finished.
- Brown the meatballs: Then heat a saucepan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil + 1 Tablespoon of butter. Place the meatballs in the pan and brown for about 3 minutes, then flip and brown for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Once the meatballs are browned, transfer them onto a plate. Note: the meatballs will not be fully cooked yet, they will finish cooking with the sauce.
- Make the sauce: Without cleaning the pan use the same pan you cooked the meatballs in to make the sauce. Add 2 Tablespoons of butter and minced garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and whisk the broth in with the flour, whisk constantly to smooth out the sauce. Then add the lemon juice, capers, and salt. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes.
- Add the meatballs: When the sauce has thickened, stir in the fresh basil and meatballs. Cover and let simmer on low with the sauce for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice or noodles when the meatballs are fully cooked. Note: I strained the sauce, to eliminate the pieces of garlic, but if that doesn't bother you, just leave the sauce as is.