Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic, go-to dinner in our semi-Italian home, but I get bored of it sometimes. I’ve been mixing up the protein and also the sauce recently and this chicken meatball recipe was an instant hit.
This recipe has vibes of chicken marsala but instead of marsala I use a dry white wine which is easier to find and makes a very delicious sauce. The meatballs are a simple mix but packed with flavor and go well with the mushroom-packed white wine sauce.
For an under-one-hour dinner, it packs real flavor and reheats really well also. Let’s make it!
Ingredients for chicken meatballs
I keep the ingredients pretty simple for this chicken meatball version. This is what you’ll need.
- Ground chicken – Lean is fine.
- Grated onion – grate it on a box grater so it blends into the meatballs better.
- Garlic – A must-have!
- White wine vinegar – gives the meatballs a little kick
- Parsley – Fresh herbs help brighten the meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs – for binder
- Parmesan cheese (optional) but adds some savory and salty flavor
Want another fast chicken dinner? Check out my fast chicken dinners archive!
Tips for making chicken meatballs
Once your meatball mixture is ready, heat some oil in a large skillet and sear the meatballs for a few minutes per side. You don’t want your meatballs to be too small or too big. I usually shoot for about tablespoon-sized meatballs.
Most importantly, don’t worry about cooking the meatballs completely through at this point. You just want them to brown nicely on all sides and then you will finish them in the sauce later.
If you cook them until they are completely cooked through now, they will be tough later.
Remove the meatballs from your skillet but don’t wash it. All the leftover bits will help add flavor to the sauce.
Ingredients for the Easy White Wine sauce
Again this is a riff on the classic marsala wine sauce so if you have ever made that (here’s a good version) then these ingredients will look similar.
- Mushrooms – this sauce is mushroom-packed and you’ll need a full pound to make it.
- Onion – I use the second half of the onion for the meatballs in the sauce.
- White wine – A good glug of it adds acidity to the sauce.
- Chicken stock – The bulk of the liquid comes from chicken stock. Store-bought is okay.
- Flour – thickens the sauce nicely.
- Parsley – fresh herbs brighten the sauce
How to make the white wine sauce
When you remove the meatballs from the skillet, add the chopped mushrooms and onion and a splash of water. Use that to help scrape up any bits in the pan. If the skillet is very dry, add an extra drizzle of olive oil as well.
Cook the mushrooms until they soften, about 8 minutes probably.
Then add the white wine to the skillet and deglaze the pan well, scraping up any bits. Add the flour and cook for a minute or two. Then add the chicken stock and stir it together so it thickens. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Now bring that to a simmer and add your meatballs back in!
Finishing the recipe
Finishing this recipe is easy. Add the chicken meatballs back to the skillet and simmer gently over low heat until for 7-8 minutes to finish thickening the sauce and cook the meatballs through. It’s ready to serve now!
Substitutions
There are some easy substitutions for this recipe.
- If you prefer the classic marsala wine flavor, just substitute it for the white wine.
- If you aren’t a mushroom fan, try adding 5 ounces of baby spinach for a green sauce.
- Change up the ground chicken with ground turkey or pork to change the protein flavor profile.
Leftovers
This recipe keeps really well for 3-4 days. Just make sure to store the pasta and the sauce and meatballs separately otherwise the pasta will soak up all the sauce and get really soggy.
Reheat meatballs in a small pot with a splash of water or in the microwave on high for 45-60 seconds.
Chicken Meatballs with White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ medium sweet onion, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup olive oil, for cooking
Mushroom White Wine Sauce:
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- ½ medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound orzo, al dente
- Parmesan cheese, garnish
- Fresh parsley, garnish
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
- In a medium bowl, stir together chicken, grated onion, garlic, parmesan, parsley, vinegar, and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and sear meatballs for 2-3 minutes per side. It's okay if they aren't cooked all the way through as they will finish in the sauce. Remove meatballs and set aside.
Making the white wine sauce:
- In the same skillet as the meatballs (don't wipe it clean), add onions and mushrooms and a splash of water. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Scrape of any bits stuck to skillet with a spatula. Cook mushrooms until they soften and release liquid, bout 8 minutes.
- Add white wine to the skillet to deglaze the skillet. Add flour and cook for a minute or two. Then slowly stir in chicken stock and bring to a slight simmer.
- Turn heat down to low and return meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for 6-7 minutes to finish cooking meatballs and thicken sauce.
- Serve meatballs and sauce over cooked orzo pasta (or your favorite) garnished with parmesan cheese and parsley.
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