Chicken Picatta Meatballs

Chicken Piccata Meatballs

• 1/2 red onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• kosher salt

• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided

• 1 lbs ground chicken (or ground turkey)

• 1/2 cup Panko

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 cup stock (or 1 tsp chicken bouillon with 1/2 cup water)

• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter

• 2 Tbs capers

• Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs like parsley or basil.

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron or saute pan. Add the onion and cook over low for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and large pinch of salt and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl make the meatball mixture by combining the onion mixture, ground chicken, salt, Parmesan cheese, panko and a large pinch of salt. Mix well.

Using an ice cream scoop (mine is about 1 oz) scoop out in even meatballs and form into balls.

Cook the meatballs in the remaining olive oil over medium low heat turning often for about 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165°F. (Don’t turn the heat too high in hopes to speed up cooking - this will just burn the outside and the inside will remain raw)

Remove the meatballs from the pan and in the same pan add the lemon juice, broth (or chicken bouillon and 1/2 cup water) butter, and capers. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is reduced by half.

Return the meatballs and cover with the sauce.

Serve chicken piccata meatballs with rice, pasta or crusty fresh bread (and a vegetable of your choosing).

Makes about 3 - 4 servings