Chicken Piccata Meatball Pasta

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Chicken Piccata Meatball Pasta
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Chicken Piccata Meatball Pasta is a creative and comforting twist on the classic Italian favorite, transforming bright, lemony piccata flavors into tender, flavor-packed chicken meatballs.

This standout recipe, created by Pamela Gelsomini of Dish Off the Block, earned first place in Cooking Contest Central’s members-exclusive Cozy Comfort Foods Recipe Contest and it’s easy to see why. This recipe rose to the top for its elevated take on classic chicken piccata, along with the exceptional photography, and smart interpretation of the contest theme.

Ingredients

  • For the meatballs:
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • For the pasta:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 6 tablespoons capers, drained
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for garnish)
  • ¾ pound angel hair pasta, cooked al dente to package directions (reserve ½ cup pasta water)
  • 1-5 ounce package baby arugula
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon, sliced

Instructions

  1. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the egg, garlic, panko, parm, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley, capers, zest, and lemon juice. Add ground chicken and massage everything together with your hands until well combined. Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball.
  2. Preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, turning gingerly with tongs as they brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  3. Make the sauce: In the same pan, add butter to the pan drippings. Add onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 2-3 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add heavy cream, zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and capers to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes until a thick sauce forms that coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the parsley and parmesan cheese. Add the meatballs back to the sauce, along with any drippings that have formed on the plate, and gently stir to coat.
  4. Add the pasta to the pan and cook, gently tossing until well coated in the sauce. Add some of the pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce until creamy. Serve the pasta and meatballs in bowls with a handful of arugula drizzled with olive oil and dusted with parmesan cheese on top. Finish with a lemon slice and enjoy.