Description
A bright weeknight dish with moist lemony meatballs made with ricotta, served over garlicky spinach orzo.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, parsley, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix gently.
- Roll the mixture into 1½-inch balls and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until light golden and cooked through.
- In a saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil, add orzo, reduce heat, and simmer for 8–10 minutes until tender.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet, sauté garlic for 1–2 minutes, then add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Add cooked orzo to the skillet and mix well with the garlic and spinach.
- Serve the garlic spinach orzo on plates, topped with baked meatballs and lemon wedges.
Notes
Use fresh parsley and lemon zest for the brightest flavor. If you prefer a firmer meatball, use panko breadcrumbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg