Chicken Piccata Meatballs

By Leslie Blythe    ,

August 26, 2025

Enjoy a classic with a twist! These one-pan Chicken Piccata Meatballs simmer in a zesty lemon, caper, white wine, and butter sauce. They're perfect for serving over a bed of pasta, fluffy rice, or creamy mashed potatoes.

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken

1 egg

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon paprika

5 garlic cloves, divided

½ bunch parsley, leaves chopped, plus more for garnish

½ cup breadcrumbs, divided

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Extra virgin olive oil (about ½ cup)

2 tablespoons butter

1 large lemon, zested and juiced

½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth

¼ cup capers, drained and rinsed

Directions

1In a medium bowl, add the chicken, egg, Italian seasoning, paprika, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ of the chopped parsley leaves, and ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs. Add a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper (about ½ teaspoon each) and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix to combine.


2Onto a large plate, spread the remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs.


3Form the chicken mixture into small balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Roll them in the breadcrumbs to coat.


4Into a large nonstick pan set over medium heat, add enough olive oil to coat (about 3 tablespoons). Once the oil begins to shimmer, arrange the meatballs in a layer without touching. Sear, turning until each side is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. (You do not need to fully cook the chicken meatballs at this point, they will finish cooking in the sauce.) Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.


5Leaving any leftover chicken fat in the pan, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter. Stir over medium-high heat until melted, then add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, then add the lemon juice, white wine, and capers. Season with salt to taste, then ring the sauce to a boil.


6Turn the heat to low and nestle the meatballs back in the pan. Toss or spoon a bit of the sauce on top. Cover and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and are no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.


7Sprinkle on the lemon zest and remaining chopped parsley (about 2 tablespoons). Serve hot, with plenty of piccata sauce spooned over top.

Recipe adapted from The Mediterranean Dish.

00:00

0 Reviews

All fields are required to submit a review.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.