These baked chicken ricotta meatballs swimming in creamy spinach Alfredo sauce have become my absolute favorite dish to whip up when I want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen. My daughter begs for these on her birthday every year, and my friends have stopped going out for Italian food because they say these meatballs are better than any restaurant’s!
Recipe
Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Chicken, Meatballs, Ricotta, Spinach, Alfredo
Servings: 6
Calories per Serving: 425 kcal
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk ricotta works best)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Spinach Alfredo:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup butter (one whole stick)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A tiny pinch of ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a big rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper – trust me, this makes cleanup so much easier.
- Grab your biggest mixing bowl and dump in the ground chicken, ricotta, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, and all those seasonings. Mix it up with your hands until everything’s just combined. Don’t overwork it though – that’s what keeps these meatballs super tender.
- Now comes the fun part! Get your hands a little wet (seriously, this keeps the mixture from sticking), and roll out golf ball-sized meatballs. I usually get about 24 from this recipe. Space them out on your baking sheet.
- Pop those beauties in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. While they’re baking, get started on that amazing sauce.
- Grab a big skillet and melt your butter over medium heat. Toss in the garlic and let it get all fragrant – about 30 seconds. Your kitchen’s going to smell amazing!
- Pour in the heavy cream, give it a stir, and let it come to a gentle simmer. Don’t rush this part – if the heat’s too high, your sauce might break.
- Once it’s simmering, sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring until it melts into the sauce. That pinch of nutmeg goes in now too – it’s my little secret that makes people wonder why this sauce tastes so good.
- Start adding your spinach by the handful. It looks like a ton at first, but it wilts down like magic. Keep stirring until all the spinach is just wilted and your sauce is thick and creamy.
Can I Make Any Substitutions?
Of course! If you’re not a spinach fan, leave it out – the Alfredo sauce is heavenly on its own. Want to make it lighter? Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half, though it won’t be quite as rich. Just don’t skip the ricotta in the meatballs – that’s what makes them special.
My house smells absolutely incredible every time I make these meatballs. They’ve become my go-to for everything from Sunday family dinners to potluck parties. Serve them over pasta, with crusty bread, or just on their own – there’s no wrong way to enjoy these beauties!
And those leftovers? Even better the next day, if they last that long! These meatballs have a way of disappearing faster than you’d expect. One bite and you’ll see why my family begs for these at least once a week!
