Chicken Picata Meatballs

All the flavors of Chicken Piccattain a meatball? Yes please and thank you. The meatballs can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to cook which makes this great for entertaining. They are delicious served with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes and simple salad on the side. To make these gluten free, simply use gluten free breadcrumbs and gluten free chicken stock.

Chicken Piccatta Meatballs

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup whole milk or half & half

• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 cup drained capers, minced

• 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

• 2 pounds of ground chicken

For the Sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter

• 1 shallot, minced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 1/2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 a lemon)

• Kosher salt to taste - about 1/2 to 1 tsp

• fresh pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons of capers, drained

• 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley

• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to serve

Directions

Preparing The Meatballs (this step can be done in advance):

1. Start by preheating the broiler to high and positioning a rack in the top third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up and drizzle with olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, milk, parmesan cheese, and eggs. Stir together with a rubber spatula or your fingers until the bread is evenly coated and slightly mashed into a paste.

3. Add the chopped shallot, capers, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt & pepper, and parsley to the bowl and mix well with the breadcrumb mixture.

4. Add the ground chicken to the bowl. Gently mix the ingredients with your hands until just combined  (I use gloves for this step...these are the ones I buy).

5. Form the meatballs: Using damp hands, form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Broil the meatballs until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then turn them to brown the other side for about 5 more minutes. Keep a close eye during this step so they don't burn.

Make The Sauce:

1. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil & butter and sautee the shallots for about 5 mintes. Add the garlic and cook one more minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.

2. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until smooth. While whisking, add the wine, chicken broth and lemon juice. Stir until smooth and bring to a simmer to thicken. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir in the capers and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Combine meatballs and sauce: Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat them evenly. Cover the pan with a lid and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for another 10 minutes to finish cooking. Stir in the chopped parsley saving a little to garnish. Serve with fresh parmesan on top.