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Lemony Chicken Ricotta Meatballs

A simple, bright meal featuring tender lemon chicken ricotta meatballs served over garlic spinach orzo.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs
  • 1 lb Ground chicken
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp Lemon, zest
  • 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh
  • 1 Egg Egg
  • 1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
For the Orzo and Spinach
  • 2 cups Spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups Chicken broth
  • 1 cup Orzo pasta
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 Lemon Lemon, wedges

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic, garlic powder, lemon zest, parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, ricotta cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined and form into meatballs.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. In a separate pot, cook the orzo according to package instructions in chicken broth until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  4. In the same skillet as the meatballs, add fresh spinach and cook until wilted.
Serving
  1. Serve meatballs over the garlic spinach orzo, with lemon wedges and grated Parmesan on top.

Notes

Do not overmix the meat mix to keep meatballs tender. Use fresh lemon zest for the best bright flavor. Brown meatballs well for color and extra flavor. Taste and salt the orzo after cooking; chicken broth can vary in saltiness. If ricotta is wet, drain it on paper towel for 10 minutes to avoid a loose mix.