Description
A comforting and flavorful dish combining baked chicken ricotta meatballs with a creamy spinach Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 medium Onion, very finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- ¾ cup Whole Milk Ricotta
- 1 large Egg
- ½ cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 4 strips Bacon
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1½ cups Heavy Cream
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 5 ounces Baby Spinach
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
- Combine 1 cup of breadcrumbs and ¼ cup of milk in a mixing bowl, letting them sit for a few minutes.
- Add the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, parsley, and sun-dried tomatoes to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Incorporate 1 pound of ground chicken into the bowl.
- Mix in ¾ cup of ricotta, 1 large egg, ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Shape the mixture into meatballs, placing them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Cut the bacon into small pieces and place a piece atop each meatball.
- Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- While the meatballs are baking, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Pour in 1½ cups of heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
- Add 2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce, stirring until it’s melted and smooth.
- Fold in 5 ounces of baby spinach, allowing it to wilt slightly.
- Once the meatballs are cooked, serve them drizzled with the spinach Alfredo sauce.
- Garnish with 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes after baking to retain juiciness. Use fresh ingredients whenever possible for better flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg