Description
Enrich your dinner repertoire with this delightful recipe for Chicken Ricotta Meatballs served with a creamy spinach sauce. This dish upgrades the traditional meatball with added smoothness from ricotta cheese and a verdant, creamy sauce that turns a simple meal into an exquisite experience. Perfect for a cozy family dinner or impressing guests, this recipe marries simplicity with gourmet flavors.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
For the Creamy Spinach Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Additional:
- Cooked pasta, for serving
Step-by-step Directions
1. Preheat Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Make Meatballs
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix well and form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange these on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake Meatballs
Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are thoroughly cooked through and exhibit a light golden color.
4. Prepare Sauce
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic until it becomes fragrant. Add the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to thicken slightly.
5. Finish Sauce
Stir the chopped spinach into the sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is creamy.
6. Serve
Place the cooked meatballs over a serving of cooked pasta and generously top with the creamy spinach sauce. Serve hot.
Servings & Preparation Time
- Servings: 4-6
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Tips for Storage & Reheating
- Store leftover meatballs and sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the meatballs and sauce together in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly warmed. If the sauce thickens too much upon cooling, thin it with a little milk or water.
- For longer storage, freeze the meatballs and sauce separately. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Conclusion
This Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Creamy Spinach Sauce recipe offers a fabulous way to enjoy a hearty, satisfying meal any night of the week. Its combination of tender meatballs with a lush, verdant sauce makes it a true comfort food that’s both easy to prepare and deliciously rewarding. Perfect for any pasta lover looking for something a little different, this dish is sure to become a new favorite.
PrintChicken Ricotta Meatballs with Creamy Spinach Sauce
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Enrich your dinner repertoire with this delightful recipe for Chicken Ricotta Meatballs served with a creamy spinach sauce. This dish upgrades the traditional meatball with added smoothness from ricotta cheese and a verdant, creamy sauce that turns a simple meal into an exquisite experience. Perfect for a cozy family dinner or impressing guests, this recipe marries simplicity with gourmet flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked pasta, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Make the meatballs by combining ground chicken, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Form into 1-inch meatballs and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and golden.
- Prepare the sauce by melting butter, sautéing garlic, adding heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, and simmering until slightly thickened.
- Finish the sauce by stirring in chopped spinach, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cooking until creamy.
- Serve the cooked meatballs over pasta and top with the creamy spinach sauce. Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes