Creamy Lemon Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach & Garlic Orzo
Delicious and filling dish featuring tender chicken meatballs paired with creamy garlic orzo and fresh spinach, brightened with lemon.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 500 g 500g ground chicken
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large 1 egg
- 2 cloves 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 1 Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Orzo
- 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon olive oil For browning the meatballs
- 1 cup 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups 2 cups fresh spinach
- 3 cloves 3 cloves garlic, minced For the orzo
- 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup 1 cup chicken broth
- Juice of 1 Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preparation of Meatballs
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, ricotta, egg, minced garlic, lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper until everything is well combined.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
Cooking
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides until fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. Once done, remove them from the skillet and set them aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter. Sauté the minced garlic until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the orzo to the skillet and toast it lightly for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat. Cook until the orzo is tender, which takes about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh spinach, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Mix until the spinach wilts and the orzo becomes creamy.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet to warm through.
Serving
- Serve the meatballs on top of the garlic orzo. You can garnish with extra parsley or Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Make sure to use fresh ingredients for the best flavor. Don’t overcook the orzo; it should be al dente. You can add other vegetables like peas or bell peppers for extra nutrition and color. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen separately for up to 3 months.