These chicken ricotta meatballs are absolutely delicious chicken meatballs in a savory, creamy spinach Alfredo sauce with crispy bacon. This is an awesome, comforting meal perfect for any season, and you can even make your meatballs ahead of time to use later.
Meatballs
Everybody loves meatballs! It’s a great skill to have great meatballs in your cooking repertoire, and knowing various ways to present them helps, too. Of course, you have your classic Italian-style tomato sauce, but this recipe is more influenced by central and northern European cooking.
We’re using high quality chicken mince here with enough fat to keep the meatballs tender and flavorsome. Overly lean ground chicken, or poor quality chicken, will toughen up your meatballs. You want them to be nice and tender, soaking up the flavor and goodness from the deliciously creamy sauce. The chicken will take on the taste of the sauce, and the sauce will take on some of the chicken’s meaty flavor, too. Like all great home-style recipes, this one involves all the ingredients working together to produce something truly impressive.
Ingredients for Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
This recipe is as easy as it is delicious. You will need simple ingredients to make these fantastic meatballs.
How to Make Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
- Add the onion, garlic, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes to your food processor, pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides if needed.
- In a medium bowl combine the breadcrumbs with milk. Set aside to soak for 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl combine the mixture with the chicken, the soaked breadcrumbs, egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and salt. Mix just until combined. Don't overmix or it will be dense.
- Shape the mixture into 18-20 2.5-inch meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with cooking oil spray. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp on the outside and cooked through.
Spinach Alfredo Sauce
How to Make Alfredo Spinach Sauce
- Heat a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Fry bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate. In the same pan, melt butter.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Season with black pepper and salt.
- Whisk in the Parmesan cheese and cook until melted.
- Finally, add the baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted.
Can You Make Creamy Chicken Ricotta Meatballs Ahead of Time?
You can bake your meatballs before you make your sauce. It’s great and convenient for that very reason.
Once you’ve made your meatballs, it’s really easy to store them. Put them in an airtight container in the fridge and they’ll keep for about three days. You can always freeze them and allow them to defrost in the fridge, too, if you need them to keep for longer. Reheating the meatballs is easy, too. Place the thawed meatballs in a preheated oven at 350 F for forty minutes, or microwave them for two to three minutes.
What To Serve With Creamy Chicken Meatballs
These chicken meatballs are really so versatile! Because they have quite a mild - not to be mistaken for bland, mind you - flavor, they’re well suited to a variety of pairings. The classic meatball pairing of pasta, of course, is always a great option. We suggest a long, flat pasta such as fettuccine or pappardelle for this recipe.
You could also serve them over a bed of Jasmine Rice, as the rice will nicely soak up your creamy sauce. We also love this recipe served with mashed or RoastedPpotatoes, because your potatoes will go really well with the sauce. Think of it as similar to serving a stew - potatoes, and maybe even some nice homemade Naan Bread, are the classic accompaniment to such a meal.
As for vegetables, there are plenty of great choices available, too. Sauteed Green Beans or Roasted Asparagus will bring some color and vibrant flavor to proceedings.
A side of nice crusty bread to soak up the sauce wouldn’t go astray, either!
Top Creamy Chicken Meatball Tips
- You should use high quality ground chicken for this recipe. The chicken is the star of the show here, so you want it to really shine by using the best chicken mince you can find.
- Likewise, we strongly recommend that you use fresh herbs. If you can, get fresh parsley or basil. They will bring plenty of flavor and a lovely, fresh aroma to your dinner. Dried herbs are OK, too, but they don’t have the same immediacy of flavor.
- You can make your meatballs ahead of time, storing them in the fridge. That way, you just need to reheat them as you prepare the sauce, saving time.
- If you’ve made your meatballs ahead of time, and you find that you have more than you need for your sauce, you could even try using the chicken meatballs in a marinara sauce. They’re just that versatile!
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- If you love cheesy comfort food, you'll also enjoy this Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole.
- For another cozy, family-style dinner, try our Baked Chicken Parmesan — it's simple and satisfying.
- Craving pasta next? Don’t miss this ultra-creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
- Want something just as hearty but in meatball form? These Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf bites hit the spot.
- Serve these meatballs with rice? Then you’ll love this Oven Baked Chicken and Rice dish too.
Looking for more ideas like this? Browse our 25 favorite chicken dinners for families.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! We will be happy to hear from you!
Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 medium onion very finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped
- 1.5 pounds 700 grams ground chicken or turkey
- 6 ounces whole milk ricotta approximately ¾ cup
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt as needed
Creamy Sauce
- 6 bacon strips
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cooking cream 35 % fat
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 5 ounces 150 grams baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F | 235°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl combine the breadcrumbs with milk. Set aside to soak for 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes to your food processor, pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides if needed.
- In a large bowl combine the mixture with the chicken, the soaked breadcrumbs, egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and salt. Mix just until combined. Don't overmix or it will be dense.
- Shape the mixture into 18-20 (2.5-inch ) meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with cooking oil spray. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp on the outside and cooked through.
- Heat a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Fry bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, melt butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Season with black pepper and salt.
- Whisk in the Parmesan cheese and cook until melted.
- Finally, add the baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted.
- Add the baked meatballs and cook further for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Chop the bacon and top the sauce.
- Serve immediately with pasta of your choice.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Regina says
Yum! Saving this to try this week!
Tanya says
This was fantastic! I made it exactly as written. Well I did add herbs to province. I made keto biscuits instead of having it over pasta. It was so very delicious.
chefjar says
Hey Regina! I'm thrilled to hear that the recipe turned out fantastic for you! Adding herbs de Provence is a wonderful touch, and pairing it with keto biscuits instead of pasta sounds like a delicious and creative adaptation. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Tanya says
I totally forgot that I used pork rinds for the breadcrumbs 🙂
Gloria Penman says
This recipe looks like a great way to use ground chicken. My son and I can not consume tomatoes. Any suggestions what could be used instead? Thanks!
chefjar says
Hey, Gloria! One option is to use roasted red peppers, which have a similar sweet and tangy flavor as sun-dried tomatoes. Simply chop up the roasted red peppers into small pieces and use them in place of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Another option is to use chopped olives, which will add a salty and briny flavor to the dish. You can use either green or black olives, depending on your preference. Just make sure to chop them finely before adding them to the pan.
Ashley says
Oh. My. Gosh. This is probably the best meal I’ve ever, and I mean EVER, made. SOO good and absolutely perfect. Wouldn’t tweak a thing. Hearty and rich, will make it again soon.
chefjar says
That's wonderful to hear Ashley!!! Thank you so much for making it!
Linda A Rausch says
Do you keep the bacon fat in the pan when you add the butter?
chefjar says
Hi, Linda! If you enjoy the taste of bacon, you can leave the fat in the pan. However, if you prefer a lighter taste or want to reduce the overall fat content, you can drain some or all of the bacon fat before adding the butter.
Sandra Lincoln says
OMG! This was totally fantastic made just as is. Restaurant quality and company worthy. Will definitely be making this one again. Thanks so much for sharing this, Tati!
chefjar says
Thank you, Sandra! I am thrilled to hear that you loved it and found it restaurant-quality. Thank you for trying it out, and I appreciate your kind words.
Marian Lund says
Truly a 5 star recipe! So tasty. I enjoyed it SO much. Had it with ribbon pasta and your green beans recipe. It looked as good as it tasted. Wish I'd taken a photo.
chefjar says
Hey Marian! Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm thrilled you enjoyed it, especially with the ribbon pasta and green beans combo. Next time, definitely snap a photo; I'd love to see your creation!
Kathy Godwin says
Can I use half and half instead of the heavy cream to make it lighter.
chefjar says
Hey, Kathy! Yes, you can substitute half and half for heavy cream to make it lighter. Keep in mind that using half and half may result in a slightly less creamy sauce compared to heavy cream, but it will reduce the overall calorie and fat content of the dish.
Mia says
Omg this was so delicious, my family loved it!! I‘ll definitely be making this again 🙂
chefjar says
I'm so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed it, Mia! It's always great when a recipe becomes a hit. Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
Alex says
Hi! Weird question but do you think cottage cheese would do it instead of ricotta or should i skip it altogether? Can’t find lactose-free ricotta and this recipe looks too delicious.
chefjar says
Hi, Alex! Absolutely, you can use cottage cheese as a substitute for ricotta in this recipe. Cottage cheese has a similar texture and mild flavor, making it a great alternative. However, it's a bit more liquid and chunky than ricotta, so you might want to blend it to achieve a smoother consistency. If you're using it for lactose-free reasons, make sure to get a lactose-free version of cottage cheese.
Kim L says
Restaurant quality results. Everyone in the family loved it. It’s our new favorite! Thank you for this great recipe.
chefjar says
Hey Kim! I'm thrilled to hear that these chicken meatballs were a hit with your family and that you found the results to be restaurant-quality! You're very welcome, and thank you for your kind feedback!
Anna says
This looks amazing! Do you think I could make ahead of time and put the meatballs and sauce in a baking dish then heat in the oven?
chefjar says
Hey Anna! To make French Onion Meatballs ahead of time, follow these steps:
Make the meatballs according to the recipe.
Let the meatballs cool to room temperature.
Place the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container or a baking dish covered with foil.
Refrigerate for up to 1-2 days before serving.
When ready to serve, preheat your oven, and then bake the meatballs in the sauce until heated through.
Barb says
This was SO good! I doubled the batch of meatballs and threw half in the freezer for another meal. This was a winner. Tasted so good over the zoodles.
chefjar says
Hi Barb! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Doubling the batch and saving some for later is a smart idea. It's a winner indeed, especially over zoodles. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Julie Ortiz says
great recipe
chefjar says
Thanks Julie!
Melissa says
Have you ever made the meatballs smaller? Im just thinking because I have 5 guys in my family I could stretch it out further with pasta.
chefjar says
Hi Melissa! Absolutely! Making smaller meatballs is a great idea to stretch the meal further, especially for a larger family like yours. Just remember to adjust the baking time accordingly since smaller meatballs will cook faster than larger ones. Keep an eye on them while they're baking to ensure they're cooked through but still tender and juicy.
Erica says
This was absolutely delicious! My husband and I loved it! The meatball mixture seemed pretty wet though and we needed to add quite a bit more breadcrumbs. We did use panko breadcrumbs since that's what we had on hand... Would that have made the difference? Maybe we needed another egg instead of more breadcrumbs? Regardless, it was delicious!
chefjar says
Hi Erica! Thank you for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback! Using panko breadcrumbs instead of regular ones could indeed make the mixture wetter. Another egg might help bind it better next time. I'm glad you still enjoyed the dish despite the minor adjustment!
Jerry Schrader says
Making this today, I am going to try to do the meatballs in an air fryer, but this looks amazing!
chefjar says
Hi Jerry! That sounds like a fantastic idea! Using an air fryer for the meatballs should add a nice crispy texture while keeping them juicy inside. Please let me know how it goes with the air fryer method!
Lena Burmølle Breino says
This is so good it’s ridiculous! Didn’t have Italian spices so used extra garlic instead. Amazing. Just amazing.
chefjar says
Hi Lena! I'm glad to hear you loved it so much! Thanks for sharing your experience and enthusiasm.
Patricia says
So tasty, really moist meatballs. Easy recipe 🙂
chefjar says
Hi, Patricia! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the meatballs and found the recipe easy to follow! Thank you for trying the recipe and sharing your positive experience 🙂.
Sarah Moxon says
Can I use kale instead of spinach?
chefjar says
Hi Sarah! Absolutely! Kale is a great substitute for spinach and will work wonderfully. It's a bit heartier and has a slightly different flavor profile, but it pairs well with the other ingredients in this recipe. Just remember to remove the tough stems and give it a good chop.
Christina says
Delicious!!!! Leftovers for the next night too! Although I did have to make a bit more pasta. I didn't make too many changes, I subbed cream cheese for the ricotta because I didn't have ricotta. And for the cream sauce I used canned organic thick coconut milk and added a bit of chicken stock. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
chefjar says
Hi Christina! Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the dish and that it made delicious leftovers for the next night. Your substitutions sound fantastic, especially using cream cheese and coconut milk for the cream sauce. And thank you for trying out the recipe!
JoAnn says
My new favorite recipe! Definitely making this again and planning on using it for company because it's so good. I served it with fettuccine and found it extremely filling so we have a lot left over.
chefjar says
Hi JoAnn! I'm glad to hear that you loved the recipe! Serving it with fettuccine sounds like a fantastic idea. And thank you for sharing your feedback!
Melissa says
This dish was absolutely amazing! My family’s new favorite I served the meatballs and sauce with spaghetti squash for less carbs and it came out fantastic!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Tatiana says
That sounds amazing, Melissa! 😍 I love the idea of serving it with spaghetti squash—such a great way to keep it lighter while still enjoying all the flavors. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your twist! 😊
Debra Cohen says
This was incredibly delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, except I made one mistake: I didn't use freshly grated parmesan cheese (as advised in the recipe), because I wanted to use up the packaged pre-grated stuff that I had. The result was a thick, gloppy, gluey Alfredo instead of a nice saucy Alfredo. I was afraid of this, as I know pre-grated cheeses are coated with something to prevent clumping. Even so, the flavor was outstanding. I will definitely make again, but have learned my lesson about the parmesan cheese and will only use freshly grated from now on!
chefjar says
Hi Debra! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the flavor despite the hiccup with the cheese! Thank you for sharing your experience!
nell says
I just put this today and I loved it. I didn't have parsley so I used (as you mentioned) Basil. Thank you very much.
chefjar says
Hi Nell! I'm so glad to hear you loved it and that the basil substitution worked well for you! Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your experience.
C says
Odd question but could you substitute the ground chicken for ground beef? How would you adjust the cooking times if you did?
chefjar says
Hi! I haven't tried using ground beef, so I can't speak from experience. However, you can definitely substitute ground beef for the chicken. Generally, beef might take a bit longer to cook thoroughly, so I'd suggest checking the meatballs a few minutes past the original cooking time, ensuring they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Joanie Church says
This is insanely good!paired it with steamed broccoli. I only had a pound of ground chicken. The only thing I did was reduce the milk a little bit so it wasn’t too loose. I’m sure I’ll be adding this to my list of favorites, thank you for a great new recipe !
chefjar says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Joanie! Pairing it with steamed broccoli sounds perfect. I'm glad it's become one of your favorites—thanks for sharing your feedback! 😊
Becky says
Hi! Can't wait to try this recipe. Do you think that I could substitute the heavy cream with coconut milk and still have it turn out well? I'm wanting to cut down somewhat on the dairy, but I also don't want to compromise the flavor!
chefjar says
Hi Becky! I'm glad that you're excited to try this Baked Chicken Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo Sauce! Yes, you can absolutely substitute heavy cream with coconut milk. It will add a subtle coconut flavor to the dish, which can be a delicious twist. The sauce might be a bit thinner, but you can thicken it by simmering it a little longer or adding a bit of cornstarch mixed with water.
Sharon says
Seriously delicious. This recipe I’d a keeper!
chefjar says
Thanks, Sharon! So glad you loved it! 🙌
Erika says
I’m always trying new recipes. It’s hard to find something that everyone likes. This recipe is absolutely delicious! My hubby and 16 year old son say it’s incredible. My one year old baby ate 6 meatballs in one day. Everyone except me and my baby ate it with noodles. I found it to be amazing with just the meatballs and sauce if you are trying to cut carbs. This recipe is going down as one of my top favorite meals to cook.
chefjar says
Thanks, Erika! Wow, 6 meatballs from your little one—that's awesome! 😄 I’m so glad this recipe was a hit with the whole family, and it’s great to hear it works both with noodles and as a low-carb option. Definitely sounds like a keeper!
Ashley says
Can I completely OMIT the sun drained tomatoes ? Or does it need some juice in it . Like could I sub some pesto or just totally leave it out ?
chefjar says
Hi Ashley! Yes, you can completely omit the sun-dried tomatoes if you prefer! The dish will still be delicious without them.
Anita McClelland says
Hi Ashley! Thank you for this absolutely delicious recipe! My girlfriends and I loved it! I did double the meatballs and froze them for another time. We ate it with fettuccine. The next night I made mashed potatoes to go with it. Both are great. Next time I might make it with spaghetti squash (keto friendly). Thank you again....I wouldn't change a thing!
chefjar says
Hi Anita! 🌟
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! Pairing it with both fettuccine and mashed potatoes sounds amazing, and I bet spaghetti squash will be a delicious keto-friendly option too. 😊 I'm so glad you wouldn't change a thing—it truly means a lot! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. ❤️
Brittany H says
Fantastic! My family enjoyed this recipe and went back for seconds! Thank you for sharing!
chefjar says
Thank you so much, Brittany! 😊 Your kind words made my day!
Barbara says
I have saved this recipe for a while and will be making this within the next 2 weeks.
Question: You indicate using "high-quality chicken mince with enough fat to keep the meatballs tender and flavorsome. Overly lean ground chicken, or poor quality chicken, will toughen up your meatballs."
Most minced chicken I have located is a 93%-7% mixture - is that the recommended ratio???
Tatiana says
Hi Barbara! Thanks for saving the recipe! I’m so glad you’ll be trying it soon. Yes, 93%-7% will work just fine.
Lainey says
Would pancetta be an acceptable substitute for the bacon?
Tatiana says
Hi Lainey! Pancetta would be a great substitute for the bacon! It will add a similar savory flavor and pair wonderfully with the Alfredo spinach sauce. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try! 😊
Lindsay says
This sounds so good and I can’t wait to make it. I’m not a big fan of cooked spinach. Could I substitute basil or something else instead? Maybe too it with arugula
Tatiana says
Hi Lindsay! I’m so glad you’re excited to try it! 😊 If cooked spinach isn’t your thing, you can absolutely swap it out. Fresh basil would give it a nice flavor, and arugula on top sounds like a great idea for a peppery bite. Let me know how it turns out!