Description
Succulent chicken ricotta meatballs swim gracefully in a creamy spinach alfredo sauce that elevates Italian comfort cuisine. Hearty flavors blend seamlessly, offering a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Base Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds (700 grams) ground chicken or turkey
- 6 ounces (170 grams) whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 6 bacon strips
Flavor and Binding Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
Sauce Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cooking cream (35% fat)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 ounces (150 grams) baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F (235C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring even heat distribution.
- Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 2 minutes to enhance moisture and texture of the meatballs.
- Pulse onion, garlic, parsley, and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor until finely chopped, creating a flavor-packed vegetable base.
- Combine vegetable mixture with ground chicken, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt in a large bowl, mixing gently to maintain meatball tenderness.
- Form 18-20 uniform meatballs approximately 2.5 inches in diameter, placing them on the prepared baking sheet and lightly spraying with cooking oil.
- Bake meatballs for 15-20 minutes until exterior is crisp and internal temperature reaches safe cooking point.
- In a large skillet, crisp bacon, then remove. Use the same pan to melt butter, quickly sauté minced garlic, then whisk in heavy cream, salt, pepper, and Parmesan until smooth. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted.
- Gently incorporate baked meatballs into the spinach Alfredo sauce, simmering for 2 minutes to marry flavors.
- Plate over preferred pasta, garnishing with crumbled bacon and fresh parsley for added texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Moisture Trick: Soak breadcrumbs in milk to ensure incredibly tender and juicy meatballs that won’t dry out during baking.
- Mixing Technique: Gently combine meatball ingredients without overmixing to prevent tough, dense texture and maintain a light, delicate consistency.
- Protein Flexibility: Easily swap ground chicken with ground turkey or lean beef for different flavor profiles while maintaining similar cooking methods.
- Low-Carb Alternative: Replace traditional pasta with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice to create a lower-carbohydrate version of this delicious dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 547
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 171 mg