Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs Alfredo
Tender baked chicken meatballs with ricotta in a creamy spinach Alfredo sauce, offering a comforting yet fresh and flavorful dinner option for family gatherings.
Equipment
- 1 oven for baking meatballs
- 1 baking sheet greased with olive oil
- 1 large bowl for mixing meatball ingredients
- 1 large skillet for preparing Alfredo sauce
- 1 spatula or spoon for stirring sauce and coating meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for greasing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups fresh spinach chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper; mix gently to combine.
- Form the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.
- While the meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and tender.
- Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer; cook 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in Parmesan, mozzarella, and Italian seasoning; cook until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth.
- Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add baked meatballs to the sauce and gently stir to coat.
- Simmer meatballs in the sauce for 5-7 minutes to blend flavors.
- Transfer meatballs and sauce to a serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley; serve hot.
Notes
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten-free.
- Serve with pasta or zucchini noodles for a complete meal.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently to avoid drying out the meatballs.