TL;DR (Fast-Reply Field)
- What it’s: Tender hen meatballs, pan-fried golden and simmered in a zippy lemon-butter and caper sauce—a enjoyable twist on traditional piccata. And what child doesn’t love meatballs?
- Why you’ll find it irresistible: Unimaginable piccata taste, surprisingly simple for weeknights or company, and prepared in about 40 minutes.
- Find out how to make it: Type the hen meatballs and pan-fry them. Make a fast pan sauce with wine, lemon juice, inventory + capers; swirl in butter. Simmer meatballs in sauce.
I don’t know why, however I’ve been on this meatball kick recently. Placing a meatball twist on traditional dishes, therefore the viral beef Stroganoff meatballs, the low-carb bare wonton soup, and Nashville scorching hen sliders (primarily a blue-cheese-stuffed meatball tackle Nashville fried hen).
For this gem, I turned to considered one of our favourite weeknight winners—hen piccata—and wrapped all that puckery goodness into bite-size orbs worthy of the pantheon of Roman gods. (I’m taking a look at you, Edesia and Bacchus, ye gods of meals and wine.) Fortuitously, this one is for us mere mortals.
Backside line: These meatballs are like that flirty dinner visitor—shiny, sassy, and unattainable to neglect.
Why This Recipe Works
These lemony hen meatballs actually shine thanks to a couple key particulars. Utilizing panko and a contact of cream ensures exceptionally tender, moist meatballs which are by no means dense. Searing the flour-dredged meatballs first builds a ravishing golden crust and a wealthy taste base from these pretty browned bits within the pan.
Deglazing with white wine then provides fragrant depth to the sauce, whereas ending with chilly butter off the warmth—a traditional monter au beurre approach—creates an irresistibly silky, emulsified sauce that received’t break. All of it comes collectively for a superbly balanced, shiny, and buttery dish.
Notes on Substances
- Floor hen—For the juiciest, most flavorful meatballs, attain for floor hen with a superb quantity of fats–typically labeled round 8% fats, which usually is a mix of leg, thigh, and breast meat.
- Panko breadcrumbs & heavy cream—I name for panko for its mild, ethereal texture. The heavy cream not solely softens the panko however provides fats and moisture, making certain your meatballs are splendidly tender and by no means, ever dry.
- All-Goal flour—Generously coating them in flour does two essential issues: it mimics the approach used for traditional hen piccata cutlets, giving the meatballs a stunning golden crust when seared, and the residual flour within the pan helps thicken the luscious piccata sauce.
- Shallot—Milder and extra delicate than onion, it provides a refined, refined fragrant base to the meatballs.
- Capers—Rinse them nicely! Whether or not packed in brine or salt, rinsing removes extra sodium, permitting their distinctive floral, tangy taste to actually pop.
- Dry white wine—A splash of dry white wine is crucial for an genuine piccata sauce, including acidity and complexity that cuts by way of the richness. For hen piccata, Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris) and Sauvignon Blanc are the 2 hottest vinos.
- Lemon—Freshly squeezed lemon juice and contemporary lemon zest are the guts and soul of piccata, offering that shiny, zesty punch. Nix the bottled stuff, per favore.
- Unsalted butter—Utilizing unsalted butter provides you full management over the ultimate seasoning of the sauce. Crucially, guarantee it’s chilly and minimize into items for correctly emulsifying into the sauce on the finish (the monter au beurre approach).
Step by Step Directions
- Stir collectively the panko, egg, shallot, cream, capers, parsley, zest, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl till nicely combined. That is the muse of your meatballs—herby, lemony, shiny.
- Add the bottom hen and gently combine along with your palms till simply mixed—don’t overdo it except you’re into rubber balls.
- Shake the pan gently forwards and backwards to coat the meatballs in flour. It’s sooner, cleaner, and provides a pleasant mild dredge that can assist brown them superbly—and thicken the sauce later.
- Warmth olive oil in a big skillet till shimmering. Add the meatballs in batches, spacing them aside so that they don’t steam. Brown throughout, turning often, till golden and largely cooked by way of (150–155°F).
- Pour within the wine and scrape up all these superb browned bits—don’t skip this, it’s liquid gold. Let it simmer for two to three minutes till barely lowered.
- Add the hen inventory, lemon juice, and capers. Let all of it simmer for 4 to five minutes so the flavors come collectively. You’re in search of a pourable however flavorful sauce.
- Swirl within the chilly butter, piece by piece, off the warmth, till the sauce is silky and emulsified. Style and season. Need extra zing? Add a final splash of lemon juice.
- Add the meatballs again to the skillet. Flip gently to coat and allow them to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to complete cooking and to thicken and absorb the sauce. Serve over pan-grilled sourdough, pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Variations & Substitutions
Make-Forward Meatballs: You’ll be able to kind the meatballs a day forward and maintain them lined within the fridge. Or, prepare dinner and freeze the meatballs for a future fast meal.
Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free panko and a superb all-purpose GF flour mix for dredging.
Add some umami: Need an additional hit of savory, meaty umami taste? Add a number of tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese to the meatballs. It’s not conventional, nevertheless it’s wick good.
Change up the protein: Floor turkey (not too lean) might be substituted for hen. If you would like veal piccata in meatball drag, use 1 pound of floor veal.
Your Rooster Piccata Meatball Questions Answered
Mild mixing is essential! (Bear in mind, you’re not giving the hen a deep-tissue therapeutic massage.) Mix the bottom hen with different elements till simply integrated—overmixing toughens, however undermixing could make them fragile. The egg and moistened panko act as binders. Additionally, guarantee your oil is scorching and don’t overcrowd the pan so that they sear properly relatively than steam.
Capers are traditional to piccata and lend their distinctive briny pop. Nixing them will change the genuine taste, however the sauce will nonetheless be lemony and buttery. You may attempt finely chopped inexperienced olives, however they’re a distant-cousin various and can alter the style. I urge you to attempt the capers! (Do it for me.)
For this recipe to attain true piccata taste, pan-frying the flour-dredged meatballs is crucial. It creates the golden crust and, most significantly, the browned bits (fond) within the skillet, that are the flavour basis for an genuine pan sauce. Baking wouldn’t develop this fond or assist you to construct and cut back the sauce in the identical pan.
Professional Ideas
- Don’t overmix the meat. When mixing the bottom hen, use a light-weight contact. Overmixing = powerful nuggets, not meatballs.
- Dampen your palms for straightforward shaping. Retains the combination from sticking and helps you roll uniform meatballs.
- Style the sauce: Earlier than including again meatballs, style and modify the seasoning. Extra salt? Extra lemon? A scrunch extra pepper?
- Love your contemporary parsley. It provides important natural, peppery taste and a stunning speckle of shade. Don’t skip it.
Storage & Reheating
To Retailer: Cool fully, then retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
To Reheat: Gently reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium-low warmth. Add a splash of hen inventory if the sauce has thickened an excessive amount of.
Freezing: Cooked meatballs (ideally with out sauce) might be frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw and reheat in freshly made sauce or gently within the current sauce.
Extra Excellent Meatball Recipes
Conquered Rooster Piccata Meatballs?
Brag about it. Was it love at first chew? Did you add a genius hack? Let the LC neighborhood (and me!) know by leaving a overview, a star ranking, and your finest picture within the feedback. We’re all hungry for particulars!—David
For the hen piccata meatballs
For the lemony piccata sauce
Put together the meatball combination
-
Mix the ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 giant egg, 1 small shallot, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 tablespoons minced capers, 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir till nicely combined.
-
Plop the 1 pound floor hen and gently combine along with your palms till simply mixed—don’t overwork the combination.
-
Sprinkle the ½ cup all-purpose flour onto a small rimmed sheet pan or bigger platter.
-
Scoop the hen combination utilizing a 1-tablespoon scoop, form every portion right into a clean ball between damp palms, and drop them instantly onto the floured sheet pan. (Makes about 30 meatballs.)
-
Shake the pan gently forwards and backwards to evenly coat the meatballs with flour.
-
Warmth the 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil in a big skillet over medium warmth till shimmering.
-
Add the meatballs in batches, spacing them aside. Cook dinner, turning often, till browned on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of a meatball registers round 150-155°F (65-68°C) (they will end cooking within the sauce), 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Switch to a bowl and canopy to maintain heat.
Construct the sauce
-
Rigorously pour the 1 cup dry white wine into the new skillet and use a picket spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the underside. Simmer for two to three minutes to cut back barely.
-
Add the 1 cup low-sodium hen inventory, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 2 to three tablespoons capers. Stir to mix. Let the sauce simmer for 4 to five minutes to meld the flavors.
-
Slide the pan off the warmth and swirl within the 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, one piece at a time, till melted and emulsified. Style and season with salt and pepper. If you would like a much bigger slap of lemon, now’s the time.
Assemble and serve
-
Return the meatballs to the skillet and switch gently to coat within the sauce. Allow them to heat by way of for 1 to 2 minutes.
-
Serve the meatballs over thick slices of grilled sourdough bread and spritz with 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley.
- Serve with pan-grilled sourdough. To organize the bread, brush every slice with olive oil, season generously with kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper, and pan-grill till golden with charred edges. Not feeling bread? These additionally shine over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or oozy, comfortable polenta.
- Desire a thicker sauce? The flour coating on the meatballs, together with what’s left within the pan, naturally thickens the sauce barely. In case you want a thicker consistency, you should utilize a traditional French approach referred to as a beurre manié:
- Combine 1 teaspoon of softened butter with 1 teaspoon of flour till clean, then whisk this paste into the simmering sauce. Simmer briefly till thickened to your liking.
Serving: 1 servingEnergy: 501 kcalCarbohydrates: 16 gProtein: 25 gFats: 33 gSaturated Fats: 12 gMonounsaturated Fats: 15 gTrans Fats: 0.4 gLdl cholesterol: 175 mgSodium: 680 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 2 g
Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2025 David Leite. Pictures © 2025 David Leite. All rights reserved.
