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Chicken Piccata Meatballs served on a plate with lemon and capers

Chicken Piccata Meatballs

These Chicken Piccata Meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and bathed in a zesty lemon butter caper sauce. A fun and elegant twist on classic piccata — perfect served over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice for a bright and comforting meal.
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Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Serves 4 makes ~20 meatballs
  • For the meatballs:
  • 500 g 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil if pan-frying
  • For the piccata sauce:
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 250 ml 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice about ½ lemon
  • 2 tbsp capers drained
  • Optional: 1 tbsp flour or cornstarch slurry for thickening
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
  • Lemon slices or zest to serve

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Baking sheet or skillet
  • Saucepan or sauté pan
  • Whisk or spatula
  • Oven (if baking) or stove

Method
 

  1. Make the meatballs:
  2. In a large bowl, mix all meatball ingredients until well combined.
  3. Form into 20 small meatballs (about 1 tbsp each).
  4. Cook either by:
  5. Pan-frying: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet and brown meatballs in batches, ~5–7 minutes total.
  6. Baking: Place on a lined sheet and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15–18 minutes, turning once.
  7. Make the sauce:
  8. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.
  9. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  10. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a simmer.
  11. Optional: stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water) to thicken slightly.
  12. Simmer the meatballs:
  13. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce. Spoon sauce over and let simmer for 5 minutes so flavors combine.
  14. Serve:
  15. Garnish with parsley and extra lemon zest or slices.
  16. Serve over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.

Notes

Make it creamier: Add 2 tbsp of cream or a splash of white wine for a richer sauce.
Use ground turkey or pork instead of chicken if preferred.
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days — reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth.