Description
These Southern Style Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo Sauce are a delicious twist on classic meatballs, featuring a blend of ground chicken, ricotta cheese, and flavorful seasonings, all topped with a creamy spinach Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (or seasoning salt)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)
For the Spinach Alfredo Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare meatballs: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, seasonings, and parsley. Form mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 18–20 minutes.
- Make the Spinach Alfredo Sauce: In a skillet, sauté garlic in butter. Add cream, Parmesan, spinach, and seasonings. Simmer until thickened.
- Combine meatballs with sauce: Transfer meatballs to the skillet with the sauce. Simmer together for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, grits, or roasted veggies.
- Use frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) if fresh is unavailable.
- Meatballs can be frozen without sauce and reheated before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern-American, Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–5 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg
