Chicken Piccata Meatballs
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If you love classic chicken piccata, you’re going to love these Chicken Piccata Meatballs! Tender, juicy chicken meatballs are baked until golden, then simmered in a bright and creamy lemon butter sauce with garlic, white wine, Parmesan, and plenty of briny capers. It’s everything you love about the classic Italian-inspired dish, transformed into an easy, family-friendly meatball dinner.
I love this recipe because even though these meatballs are easy enough for a busy weeknight, they also feel fancy enough for a date night or dinner guests. Plus, baking the meatballs keeps things easy (and hands-off!), while the silky lemon butter sauce comes together in just one pan.
Serve these chicken piccata meatballs over pasta, buttery mashed potatoes, fluffy orzo, or with plenty of crusty bread to soak up every last drop of that incredible sauce. However you serve them, this is one of those meals that tastes as if it came from a restaurant but is surprisingly easy to make at home.
Table Talk with Tawnie
If you love my classic lemon chicken piccata recipe, but feel like it’s a little too involved for a busy weeknight dinner, then say hello to chicken piccata meatballs. All the same flavors we love about the classic wrapped up into an easy-to-make and easy-to-eat meatball. YUM! I was making my classic recipe on a Tuesday night while chasing my 3 kids around, and let me tell you…I was STRESSED lol. So if you want piccata vibes without any stress (let’s be honest, it’s not the piccata’s problem; it’s a kids’ problem haha), then try this recipe out. 🙂
- Ground chicken: I usually buy a 96% lean, 4% fat ground chicken. I have not tested this recipe with any other ground meats, but I am sure it would turn out delicious, especially with ground turkey.
- Lemons: Fresh lemon juice and zest are key here. The juice adds bright acidity, while the zest brings concentrated citrus flavor that really makes the sauce pop.
- Dry white wine: Use something crisp and dry like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. I always recommend choosing a wine you’d enjoy drinking so you can sip while you cook😉
- Capers: A classic part of chicken piccata, so you know we had to include them in our meatballs. Make sure to finely chop the capers for the meatball mixture, but you can keep them whole for the cream sauce.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream adds rich creaminess to the sauce. For a lighter version, use half and half.
- Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works just as well, and if you want a protein boost, swap in chicken bone broth. PS: I have a homemade chicken broth recipe that is amazing in this recipe!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Make the meatballs
Combine all meatball ingredients and mix until just combined. Form into small meatballs and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Build the sauce
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for ~30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and simmer for a couple of minutes. Then add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers, and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
Finish the sauce
Reduce the heat and stir in the cold butter. Then add the heavy cream and parsley and stir together for a few minutes until everything is combined and bubbly.
Bring it all together
Add the cooked meatballs to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Simmer for a couple of minutes until everything is warmed through and the sauce has slightly thickened.
Serve & enjoy!
Garnish with additional parsley and lemon zest. Serve with pasta, orzo, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread and ENJOY!!
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the meatballs: Mix the ingredients just until combined to keep the meatballs tender and juicy.
- Use a cookie scoop for even sizing: This helps the meatballs cook evenly and makes prep quicker.
- Zest the lemon before juicing it: It’s much easier to zest a whole lemon than one that’s already been squeezed.
- Reduce the wine before adding the broth: Giving the wine a few minutes to simmer cooks off the alcohol and concentrates its flavor.
- Keep butter cold: Cold butter creates a glossy, silky sauce that won’t separate.
- Simmer gently after adding the cream: Keep the heat on low to prevent the cream from curdling.
- Let the meatballs soak in the sauce: Simmering them for a minute or two before serving allows them to absorb even more of that bright lemon butter flavor.
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Variations / Substitutions
- Make it lighter: Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or simply omit it for a more traditional lemon butter piccata sauce.
- Add some greens: Stir a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach or kale into the sauce until wilted for an easy veggie boost.
- Try turkey instead: Ground turkey works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Serve it your way: These meatballs are delicious over angel hair, fettuccine, orzo, mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, rice, or with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
Storage / Freezing
- Refrigerator: Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked meatballs (with or without the sauce) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through. Add a splash of chicken broth or cream if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until warm.
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Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp. capers (finely chopped)
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
For the lemon butter sauce
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 2-3 Tbsp. capers
- 2-3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon zest (optional)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Make the meatball mixture: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix until just combined.1 lb ground chicken, 1 large egg, 1-2 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp. capers, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- Form and bake: Form into 1-1½ inch meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet (you should get ~18-20 meatballs) Bake for 12-15 minutes Start Timer, or until lightly golden and cooked through. (165°F with a thermometer inserted)
- Build the sauce: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for ~30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly Start Timer. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes Start Timer1 Tbsp. olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2-3 Tbsp. capers
- Finish the sauce: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cold butter until melted and the sauce is glossy. Stir in heavy cream and parsley. Allow it to bubble and cook together a few more minutes, taste and adjust any seasonings as desired 🙂2-3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- Bring it all together: Add the cooked meatballs to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until warmed through and the sauce has slightly thickened.Start Timer
- Serve: Garnish with additional parsley and lemon zest, if desired. Serve with pasta, orzo, mashed potatoes, crust bread, etc.Lemon zest
Notes
- Turkey: Feel free to use ground turkey if that’s what you have on hand.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Serve it your way: These meatballs are delicious over angel hair, fettuccine, orzo, mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, rice, or with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
- Store: Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through. Add a splash of chicken broth or cream if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until warm.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
