What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Piccata Meatballs
- For the Meatballs: egg, parsley, shallots, capers, garlic, milk, salt and pepper, ground chicken (preferably not extra-lean all breast meat), pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano), seasoned breadcrumbs, and olive oil
- For the Sauce: chicken broth, unsalted butter, lemon juice, capers, and Italian parsley
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make and shape the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix the egg, parsley, shallot, capers, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper with a fork. Add the ground chicken, cheese, and 6 tablespoons breadcrumbs and gently mix with your hand until combined (the mixture will be a bit wet). Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. With wet hands, form 12 meatballs (about 2 inches each), roll in the breadcrumbs to coat, and set on a plate.
Step 2: Brown and roast. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast, turning halfway through, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Place an oven mitt over the handle as a reminder it’s hot, then transfer the meatballs to a platter or plates (cover loosely with foil to keep warm, if desired).
Pro Tip: Don’t worry if the meatballs flatten slightly as they sit or cook—the mixture is intentionally a bit wet for tenderness, so a little spreading is completely normal.
Step 3: Make the pan sauce. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and add the broth. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the butter, lemon juice, capers, and parsley until combined.
Pro Tip: Taste before serving—the saltiness of the sauce can vary depending on your broth and capers, so feel free to add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon at the end, if desired.
(Jennifer Segal)Step 4. Serve. Spoon the sauce over the meatballs and serve warm with noodles or rice.
