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Italian chicken meatballs

These flavor-packed Chicken Romano Meatballs, stuffed with Romano cheese, fresh herbs, and garlic, are finished with a vibrant lemony white wine pan sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 0.5 cup seasoned bread crumbs or gluten-free crumbs
  • 0.33 cup Romano cheese grated
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 shallot shallot diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt to taste, for sauce
  • 0.33 cup dry white wine like chardonnay
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 lemon sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the minced garlic, lightly beaten egg, seasoned bread crumbs, grated Romano cheese, chopped fresh parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon pepper.
  3. Mix with clean hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
  4. Shape the mixture into 1-inch size meatballs, yielding about 24 meatballs.
  5. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  6. Add the meatballs in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and brown them on all sides, cooking for about 5 to 6 minutes in total. You don’t need to cook them fully at this stage, just brown the exterior.
  7. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate.
  8. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the diced shallots and minced garlic with a pinch of salt and stir.
  9. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dry white wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
  10. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add in the sliced lemons and chicken broth.
  11. Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce.
  12. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 C).
  13. Serve on sandwiches or with pasta, rice, or your favorite vegetable.

Notes

These meatballs are incredibly versatile! They make a fantastic meal prep option; just reheat gently. For a creamier sauce, a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half can be added with the chicken broth.