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Y’all already know I am a big chicken piccata fan, so I had to turn those wonderfully bright flavors into a skillet meatball. Enter — Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata Meatballs!
What is there not to love about chicken piccata? A luscious white wine sauce that’s brightened even more by lemon juice? Yes, please! For these Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata Meatballs, ground chicken is simply flavored with a few spices, lemon zest, and parsley then formed into meatballs. They are browned to golden perfection then set aside while you make your piccata sauce.
Just like the meatballs, your piccata sauce will come together easily with very few ingredients with all your classic piccata flavors. With a little butter, white wine, fresh parsley, capers, and a few other ingredients, your sauce will be ready in no time to then add your meatballs to it for a quick simmer to finish cooking. And while this sauce does use butter, you could easily substitute it with vegan butter to keep this recipe gluten-free and dairy-free!
Ingredients:
- Ground Dark Meat Chicken
- Salt and Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
- Gluten-Free Panko
- Egg Yolk
- Lemon Zest and Juice
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Cassava Flour
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Capers
Step-by-Step:
Step One: Make the Meatball Mixture
In a large bowl, mix to combine the ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, panko, egg yolk, lemon zest.
Step Two: Form the Meatballs
Once well combined, form into 1 ½-inch meatballs. Damp hands will make this easier as the chicken can be sticky.
Step Three: Brown the Meatballs
In a large deep non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in a single layer, working in batches as needed. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. The meatballs do not need to be cooked through as they will finish cooking in the sauce. Once browned, set aside on a plate and continue until all the meatballs are browned.
Step Four: Make the Sauce
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, cassava flour. Stir, toasting the flour, for 1 minute.While whisking, pour wine into skillet to combine. Continue whisking and add the chicken broth until well combined. Add the capers, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine then increase heat to a rapid simmer.
Step Five: Continue Cooking the Meatballs
Reduce heat to a light simmer then nestle the meatballs back into the sauce. Cover and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Step Six: Serve and Enjoy!
Serve however you prefer and top with additional parsley!
I know this recipe is going to be a star on your weeknight dinner rotation and I can’t wait to see y’all cook this in your own kitchens!Â
For more piccata recipes…
whole30 skillet chicken piccata
the best sheet pan chicken piccata
Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 ½ pounds ground dark meat chicken
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup gluten-free panko
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of ½ a lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter (sub vegan butter for dairy-free)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoons cassava flour sub all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves more for serving
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs:
- In a large bowl, mix to combine the ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, panko, egg yolk, lemon zest. Once well combined, form into 1 ½-inch meatballs. Damp hands will make this easier as the chicken can be sticky.
- In a large deep non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in a single layer, working in batches as needed. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. The meatballs do not need to be cooked through as they will finish cooking in the sauce. Once browned, set aside on a plate and continue until all the meatballs are browned.
Make the Sauce:
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, cassava flour. Stir, toasting the flour, for 1 minute.
- While whisking, pour wine into skillet to combine. Continue whisking and add the chicken broth until well combined. Add the capers, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine then increase heat to a rapid simmer.
- Reduce heat to a light simmer then nestle the meatballs back into the sauce. Cover and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Serve with additional parsley.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
Chicken piccata is a favorite of mine, so I had to try this right away. I followed the recipe exactly and doubled the sauce to have plenty to serve over linguini. I served with a side salad, and it was a delicious meal! What I appreciate most about the Defined Dish recipes (which I make at least twice a week from the website and both cookbooks) is that not only are the recipes so flavorful, but the directions are thoughtful and precise. Thank you, Alex! 🙂
Thank you so much, Erin!! I so appreciate your comment and review on the recipe! xoxo
Can this be a crockpot meal? Should I make the meatballs before hand and heat on low in the crockpot?
Could the meatballs be made ahead of time (and stored in the fridge) and then the rest of the recipe later in the week?
Yes that could definitely work here! Just make the sauce the day of and let the meatballs reheat in the sauce.
Another winning Defined Dish recipe that will be on repeat for sure…my husband loved it! Made it with exact gluten free ingredients and added a bit more chicken broth to the sauce. Could not find dark meat chicken so I used ground Turkey. Thanks Alex!
yay! Thank you, Peggy!
I was going to ask if anyone made this with turkey, thanks for posting
Could I just bake the meatballs?
Sure!
To make whole 30, I’m thinking; sub the Panko for almond flour and white wine for more broth? Or a better suggestion?
Yes!! That would work pretty close– and you’ll maybe need more lemon to brighten up the dish since the wine is out!
This looks so amazing that I’d love to make it tonight! Where do we purchase ground dark meat chicken?
I can typically find it at Central Market or Whole Foods! You can also ask the butcher to grind up chicken thighs for you!
Ground Turkey thigh also works in this recipe.
Looks delish… any idea what the nutritional info on this is?
Calories/protein/carbs!?
Im assuming eliminating butter would be the best way to lighten it up.
I just added nutritional facts to the notes section for you 🙂
How many meatballs should this make? Just trying to understand serving size. Thanks!!!
It makes about 16 meatballs!
Love this! Any suggestions for what to serve them with?
I love to serve with a starch of some sort to enjoy more of that sauce/soak it up: mashed potatoes, pasta, or steamed white rice! and then I usually do a roasted asparagus or simple side salad! Enjoy!
Could you make this as a freezer meal?
Yes!! This should freeze very well!