Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs are super quick and easy. Makes enough for dinner tonight with plenty leftover for your freezer. In this recipe, ground chicken is mixed with panko breadcrumbs, ricotta, lemon zest and parsley before being shaped into cute little bite-size meatballs. Bake for just 12 minutes and they’re on the table.
Unlike most Americans, I don’t eat chicken. But the Facebook reels for chicken meatballs kept bombarding me. In a moment of weakness, I went for it. These baked chicken ricotta meatballs are now a guilty pleasure bordering on an addiction.
Eat More Plants
I would not call myself vegetarian. I will eat meat every now and then. But I prefer to eat plants, and if I venture into the animal kingdom for food it is usually fish. Baked chicken ricotta meatballs are a very rare departure from my normal plant based menu but they are so worth it!
If I’m going to eat meat, I’m probably having either lamb or pork (lamb meatballs recipe coming soon) and pork because in my world, prosciutto is its own food group.
If I’m going to eat meat, I also try really hard to buy it from small, local farms where the animals have acceptable living conditions and where I know I’m supporting a local family business.
Mouthwatering Meatballs
The real reason I decided to make baked chicken ricotta meatballs was because I thought about serving them with a parmesan orzo. That had my mouth watering. I LOVE creamy orzo. I’ll include the recipe for the parmesan orzo in a separate post.
Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs – Prep and Freeze
The recipe for chicken meatballs is pretty simple. My recipe isn’t much different than what Insta and Facebook are serving up except that I load up the lemon zest to keep the flavor bright even after freezing.
What I love about any meatball recipe is how quickly it comes together and that you can make a few, freeze a few.
Chicken Ricotta Meatballs − Pro Tips
Two pro tips for delicious, juicy meatballs. First, use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular. Breadcrumbs are KEY to any meatball to ensure they are not too dense. Second, don’t overwork the mixture. Use your bare hands, and mix just enough to combine the ingredients.
Oh, and adding a generous amount of ricotta doesn’t hurt.
This recipe using 1 lb. of ground chicken should make 30 golf-ball sized meatballs. Making chicken meatballs a little more petite helps ensure you can cook them all the way through without drying them out.
How to Serve Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
Baked chicken ricotta meatballs can be eaten by themselves. They are that good. A side of tzatziki for dipping is a great idea. But I have a few other suggestions to round out your meal.
My favorite side dish for chicken ricotta meatballs is a parmesan orzo. Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta and it cooks quickly. Parmesan orzo is a one pot meal that is simpler than the flavor it delivers. I promise to post that recipe at the same time as the meatball recipe so you can get cooking.
Another way to eat baked chicken ricotta meatballs would in a pita with some sliced cucumber, red onions and tzatziki. You could also make a rice or quinoa bowl and add a good dollop of hummus, cucumber and any other veggies you have on hand.
Baked chicken ricotta meatballs are still meatballs, so of course they work well with pasta. Try them in with a simple butter pasta or a simple garlic and olive oil sauce. I don’t recommend using marinara because it will hide they light, lemony flavor of the chicken ricotta meatballs.
Why Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs?
Most recipes for meatballs call for sautéing on the stove. I never find that this method works for me. I love the roundness of a meatball, and for some reason I can’t get the proper browning all the way around without squashing my meatballs when I try to do it on the stovetop.
To me, baking is a lot easier. Plus that gives you time to make the orzo or boil some pasta.
Equipment
- large baking tray optional, for freezing extras
- parchment paper or wax paper optional, for freezing extras
- baking dish for cooking meatballs now
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp lemon zest (a whole lemon zested)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Using your hands, toss the ingredients until fully combined but don't overwork the mixture.
- Using a standard kitchen spoon, scoop the chicken mixture and roll in your palms to form a meatball about the size of a golf ball. Place the desired number of meatballs into a baking dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 12-14 minutes. They should feel mostly firm to the touch but still bouncy. Don't over bake.Switch the oven to the broiler setting (low if you have it) and broil for 3-5 minutes to get a little golden color on top. Remove from oven.
- Serve with parmesan orzo or in a pita or rice bowl.
- FREEZING EXTRA MEATBALLS: Place any remaining meatballs on a parchment or wax paper lined baking tray and freeze for about 2 hours. Transfer frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag and return to the freezer until ready to use. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Nutrition
Ready to go back to plants instead of meat? Try Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs in Coconut Turmeric Sauce. It’s a showstopper.
