Chicken Meatballs with Ricotta (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatball Foundation
01 -
700g ground turkey or chicken
02 -
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta (around 6 ounces)
03 -
1/2 cup milk
04 -
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
05 -
1 big egg
→ Meatball Flavors
06 -
1 regular onion, chopped small
07 -
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
08 -
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
09 -
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
10 -
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan
11 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
12 -
Salt as needed
→ Silky Sauce
13 -
6 bacon strips
14 -
4 tablespoons butter
15 -
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
16 -
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (35% fat content)
17 -
2 cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese
18 -
150g baby spinach (5 ounces)
19 -
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 -
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
21 -
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for topping
# Preparation Steps:
01 -
Crank your oven to 450°F (235°C) and put parchment paper on a large baking tray.
02 -
Combine milk with breadcrumbs in a small bowl and let them sit for 2 minutes until they get soft.
03 -
Throw onion, garlic, parsley, and sun-dried tomatoes in your food processor and pulse until they're all finely chopped.
04 -
In a big bowl, lightly mix the chopped stuff with ground meat, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt. Don't mix too much!
05 -
Roll into 18-20 meatballs (roughly 2.5 inches each), put them on your lined tray, lightly spray with cooking oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes until the outside gets crispy.
06 -
Cook bacon in a big pan until crispy, then set it aside. Use the same pan to melt butter and cook garlic until it smells good.
07 -
Add the cream, let it bubble gently for 2 minutes, then add salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan until it's all melted.
08 -
Toss in spinach and cook until soft. Add your baked meatballs, let everything simmer for 2 minutes until sauce gets thicker. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and fresh parsley.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
Ground chicken and turkey work equally well
02 -
Ricotta makes these meatballs super juicy
03 -
Goes great with any type of pasta