Description
Chicken Piccata Meatballs served with whole wheat linguine, cooked in a tangy lemon-caper butter sauce. This recipe features tender ground chicken meatballs seared to golden perfection, then simmered in a flavorful sauce of white wine, capers, garlic, and lemon, paired with whole wheat pasta for a wholesome and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces whole wheat linguine
Sauce
- ½ cup white wine
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 3.5 ounces jar capers with brine
- Juice of one lemon
- 3 garlic cloves (whole)
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- â…” cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Pasta Water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the linguine later.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, lemon zest, and kosher salt. Gently mix with your hands until just combined to avoid overworking the meat.
- Form Meatballs: Using a heaping tablespoon of the mixture, roll into balls and set aside. Repeat until all mixture is used.
- Sear Meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil once hot, then place meatballs in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, rotating to cook three sides total (9 minutes), until golden brown. Remove meatballs to a clean plate.
- Create the Sauce Base: Pour white wine into the skillet and let it reduce for 1 minute. Add butter and allow it to melt completely. Whisk in the flour to form a roux.
- Add Broth: Gradually whisk in chicken broth until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
- Combine and Simmer: Return meatballs to the skillet. Add capers with brine, lemon juice, and whole garlic cloves around the meatballs. Stir gently. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling salted water to cook.
- Finish Pasta and Serve: When pasta is just shy of al dente, drain and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce and meatballs. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce until desired tenderness is reached. Remove from heat and serve immediately, optionally topped with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Cooking pasta directly in the sauce at the end helps the flavors meld and saves time.
- Use whole wheat linguine for added fiber and nutrition.
- Adjust lemon juice and capers to taste for desired tartness and saltiness.
- Reserve a bit of pasta water before draining to loosen the sauce if needed.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with olive oil and omit Parmesan cheese.
