One-Pot Chicken Piccata Meatballs

These one-pot chicken piccata meatballs are a great substitute to traditional chicken piccata. Homemade ground chicken meatballs in a rich piccata sauce. We serve ours over mashed cauliflower or potatoes but these would be great with pasta, grits, or polenta as well. These meatballs can be made ahead and kept in the freeze until needed.

Tender chicken meatballs sauteed and topped with a white wine caper sauce!

Highlights of this easy chicken piccata recipe:

• Quick recipe, perfect for weeknights
• Good way to stretch ground chicken
• Versatile, serve with pasta, polenta, mashed potatoes, or with roasted veggies
• Family favorite, kids love chicken meatballs
• Budget friendly, simple ingredients
• Lemony sauce comes together quick with simple ingredients

Serve with a glass of crisp white wine and warm, crusty bread. Fresh herbs are a must!

Grocery Store List & Substitutions:

• Ground chicken, could substitute ground beef or ground lamb
• Panko bread crumbs, or use Italian bread crumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Whole large eggs
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• Garlic powder
• A few tablespoons unsalted butter or substitute olive oil
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Large lemon
• Dry white wine, like pinot grigio, does not need to be an expensive wine
• Fresh thyme, fresh oregano, or fresh rosemary
• Capers
• Lemon slice, parmesan cheese, or fresh parsley for garnish

Mashed cauliflower is a quick side dish, and lower carb option to mashed potatoes. Boil fresh cauliflower until tender. Transfer to a blender with heavy cream, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed, if the mix is too thick add more cream as needed.

Quick steps for the chicken meatballs:

• Combine meatball mixture
• Portion and roll into balls
• Sear meatballs until golden brown
• Remove chicken meatballs from pan
• Combine ingredients for sauce
• Serve meatballs topped with lemony sauce

Pan frying meatballs gives them a crisp, golden-brown exterior with a tender interior. You could also bake these or air fry them – they just wont get as crispy.

If you like these one-pot Chicken Piccata Meatballs, you’ll love these other easy chicken recipes…

Quick and Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe without Wine

Easy One Pan Chicken Piccata Dinner Recipe

One Pan Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Recipe

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Quick & Easy Air Fryer Blackened Chicken Bowls

First Steps:

• Combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, eggs, and parmesan cheese. Add any additional flavorings at this point as desired, such as chopped capers, garlic powder, onion powder, chopped onion.
• Use a portion scoop to scoop even sized meatballs
• Roll into balls

What is chicken piccata sauce made of?

This sauce is super simple and so flavorful. Made with white wine, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and capers. It is easily customizable and reduces perfectly.

What is the difference between chicken piccata and chicken marsala?

Chicken piccata does not have a creamy sauce like chicken marsala does. Both have lightly pan fried chicken cutlets, chicken piccata is topped with a tangy lemon sauce and chicken marsala has creamy mushroom sauce.

What is the best white wine to use for chicken piccata?

A dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay are all good options for chicken piccata. These go great in the sauce as well as served as a glass of wine with the dish.

Tools I used for these easy chicken meatballs:

• Tongs – a must have kitchen tool!
• USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely
• Portion Scoops – perfect for getting even sized meatballs.

What to serve with chicken piccata meatballs? Try these ideas…

Easy One-Pan Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Easy Potato Au Gratin

Creamy Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Simple Green Bean Almondine with Bacon

Easy Air Fryer Baby Carrots

Pro tips for this classic dish:

• Use a portion scoop to ensure meatballs are the same size so they cook evenly
• Use a large skillet so you don’t overcrowd the chicken, if chicken seems to be sticking add in extra butter. Do not try to flip until it easily releases.
• Watch heat so chicken browns but doesn’t burn, keep medium-high heat throughout
• When deglazing, scrape the bottom of the pan to release all of the release brown bits (fond)!
• Add the liquid from the capers if you prefer a saltier sauce
• Adjust fresh lemon and herbs to your liking
• Give the delicious sauce plenty of time to simmer so it thickens nicely

Instructions for chicken piccata meatballs:

• In a large bowl combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix well to combine. Use a portion scoop to scoop 1 oz. portions of the meatball mix, roll into balls and place on a sheet pan.
• Heat butter in a large Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in meatballs and sear until golden brown and cooked through, 8-12 minutes.* Remove cooked meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
• With the heat on medium-high, deglaze the pan with white wine. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, capers, and chopped herbs. Let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Return the meatballs to the pan and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes until cooked through. Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve topped with extra sauce, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese.

Notes:

*Cooking time will depend on the size of the meatballs. 

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.