Description
Tender chicken meatballs made with ricotta cheese, served in a creamy spinach Alfredo sauce. A comforting and delicious pasta dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for sauce)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (for sauce)
- 1/4 cup butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 oz fettuccine or pasta of choice
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches until browned on all sides and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Whisk in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese until smooth.
- Add fresh spinach to the sauce and stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return meatballs to the skillet with the sauce, spoon sauce over them, and cook for 2-3 minutes to heat through.
- Serve meatballs and sauce over cooked pasta or enjoy on their own.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.