Description
Delight in these flavorful Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach, a healthy and hearty Italian-American main course. Made with lean ground chicken, creamy ricotta, fresh spinach, and a blend of Parmesan, herbs, and spices, these meatballs are baked to golden perfection. They’re perfect served with marinara, pasta, or grain bowls and are suitable for a gluten-free diet when prepared with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach, chopped
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil spray or drizzle for baking
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, gently combine the ground chicken, ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, onion powder, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Mix carefully with your hands or a spoon to evenly incorporate all ingredients without overmixing, which can toughen the meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Using a cookie scoop or your hands, shape the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet to ensure proper baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Lightly spray or drizzle olive oil over the tops of the meatballs to promote browning and add flavor during baking.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through. To ensure safety, verify the internal temperature has reached 165°F using a meat thermometer.
- Serve: Serve the baked meatballs warm with your favorite marinara sauce, alongside pasta, or in grain bowls for a delicious meal.
Notes
- These meatballs freeze well—bake first, then allow them to cool completely before storing in an airtight container for freezing.
- You can substitute kale or arugula in place of spinach for a different leafy green flavor.
- For a low-carb option, replace breadcrumbs with almond flour.
- Ensure to use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you want to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender and juicy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–5 meatballs
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
