Description
Delicious and healthy baked chicken meatballs mixed with creamy spinach Alfredo sauce, perfect for families on busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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 oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- In a bowl, mix ground chicken, ricotta, breadcrumbs, egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, ¼ cup Parmesan, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Form the mixture into 1 to 1.5 inch meatballs and place them on the greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and reach 165°F (74°C).
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chopped spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in heavy cream and bring to a low simmer, stirring often.
- Add ½ cup Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth. Keep sauce on low.
- Add baked meatballs to the skillet with sauce and simmer for 3–5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve over cooked pasta, rice, or with crusty bread, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Don’t overmix the meat mix to keep meatballs tender. Use fresh spinach for best flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 125mg