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Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo

Baked chicken ricotta meatballs nestled in creamy spinach Alfredo sauce in a white ceramic baking dish, with golden-browned tops on a bright white marble surface.
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Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo combines tender chicken and ricotta meatballs with a creamy Parmesan spinach sauce, crispy bacon, and sun dried tomatoes. Ready in about 40 mins, it’s a rich but easy dinner that’s especially good over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken Ricotta Meatballs

  • ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1.5 pounds ground chicken or turkey
  • 6 ounces whole milk ricotta, about ¾ cup
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt, to taste
    Creamy Sauce
  • 6 strips bacon
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ cups heavy cooking cream, 35 percent fat
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Soak the breadcrumbs: Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and let them stand for 2 mins. Pulse the onion, garlic, parsley, and sun dried tomatoes in a food processor until finely chopped.
  3. Mix the meatballs: Combine the ground chicken, ricotta, egg, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, soaked breadcrumbs, and chopped onion mixture. Mix gently just until everything is evenly incorporated.
  4. Shape and bake: Form the mixture into 18 to 20 meatballs, about 2½ inches each, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking oil and bake for 15 to 20 mins until browned outside and cooked through to 165°F.
  5. Cook the bacon: Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, then transfer it to a plate. Melt the butter in the same skillet, add the garlic, and cook for about 1 minute.
  6. Make the sauce: Add the heavy cream and gently simmer for 2 mins. Season with salt and pepper, whisk in the Parmesan until melted, then add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 mins until wilted.
  7. Finish the dish: Add the baked meatballs to the Alfredo sauce and cook for another 2 mins. Chop the crispy bacon and scatter it over the meatballs with the fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

Mix the chicken mixture gently because overworking it can make the meatballs dense. Refrigerate cooked meatballs for about 3 days, or freeze the baked meatballs for longer storage and prepare the Alfredo sauce fresh when serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Chicken Ricotta Meatballs

Find it online: https://cozyhomeplate.com/baked-chicken-ricotta-meatballs-with-spinach-alfredo/