Description
Indulge in the creamy goodness of Chicken Ricotta Meatballs in Spinach Alfredo Sauce. These tender meatballs, made with ground chicken and ricotta, are baked to perfection and then simmered in a luscious homemade Alfredo sauce loaded with fresh spinach. Serve over pasta or with crusty bread for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Spinach Alfredo Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: pinch of nutmeg or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Make the Meatballs: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Form into meatballs and bake until golden.
- Make the Sauce: Melt butter, sauté garlic, add cream, Parmesan, and spinach. Season and simmer. Add meatballs to coat and simmer briefly.
Notes
- You can prep the meatballs ahead and freeze them before baking.
- For a lighter sauce, use half-and-half or a mix of milk and cream.
- Add mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–5 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
