Chicken Piccata Meatballs with Orzo

5 from 3 votes

Chicken Piccata Meatballs with Orzo

Chicken Piccata Meatballs with orzo – this delicious chicken meatball recipe will tantalize your taste buds with its zesty lemon caper sauce. A wonderful one-pot meal that's both hearty and healthy, not to mention simply bursting with flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time28

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Servings:

Calories: 611kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp onion granules
2 tsp dried Parsley or Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
35 g (⅓ cup) Panko breadcrumbs
35 g (⅓ cup) grated Parmesan
1 egg
450 g (1 pound) ground chicken (chicken mince)
1 tsp lemon zest

For the sauce and orzo

2 tbsp olive oil , to sear the meatballs
120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
2 tbsp butter , unsalted
2 shallots , finely diced
3 garlic cloves , minced
½ tsp each salt and black pepper
200 g (1 cup) orzo , uncooked
1-2 tbsp lemon juice (or more, to taste)
60 g (¼ cup) capers (or more, to taste)
580 ml (2 ⅓ cups) chicken broth (you can also use a stock cube)
1 tbsp lemon thyme or fresh chopped parsley
freshly grated Parmesan , to taste

Instructions

PREPARE THE MEATBALLS

Place the onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan and the egg.
2 tsp dried Parsley , 1 tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp onion granules, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 35 g (⅓ cup) Panko breadcrumbs, 35 g (⅓ cup) grated Parmesan, 1 egg
Add the ground chicken and lemon zest, stirring well so that the ingredients are well mixed. Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the meatball mixture and then roll them in oiled hands to form the meatballs, you will have about 20.
450 g (1 pound) ground chicken, 1 tsp lemon zest

SEAR THE MEATBALLS

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and sear the meatballs, in batches if necessary, for about three minutes per side until nicely golden. You don't need to cook the meatballs through at this stage. Transfer the meatballs onto a plate and set aside.
2 tbsp olive oil

MAKE THE PICCATA SAUCE & COOK

Add the white wine to the hot pan and scrape any browned bits loose with a wooden spoon. Cook until the wine is reduced by about half then transfer into a bowl to use later.
120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
Melt butter in the pan, add the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté over medium-low heat for about seven minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat it in the butter.
2 tbsp butter, 2 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, ½ tsp each salt and black pepper, 200 g (1 cup) orzo
Add the lemon juice and half of the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the capers, remaining broth, reserved wine and the meatballs. Cook on a low simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15-18 minutes or until the orzo is cooked to your liking.
1-2 tbsp lemon juice, 580 ml (2 ⅓ cups) chicken broth, 60 g (¼ cup) capers
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning and lemon juice as needed. Sprinkle with the thyme or chopped parsley and a grating of Parmesan. Absolutely delicious!
1 tbsp lemon thyme , freshly grated Parmesan

Video

Notes

Don't crowd the meatballs when searing them as they will steam rather than brown. You might need to cook them in batches to allow them some space to get that beautiful golden sear!

I added orzo to make this a one-pot meal. If you would prefer to cook the chicken picatta meatballs on their own you can skip the pasta altogether. You will need to add less broth to make the sauce (see notes in the recipe card).

Do give the orzo a good stir once in a while to check it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. You might need to add a little hot water or extra broth if needed.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Add a splash of water when reheating – the orzo will absorb all of the sauce!

Serve with a slice of my Air Fryer Garlic Bread or how about this Easy Sourdough Focaccia.

Nutrition