Description
Chicken Florentine Meatballs feature tender ground chicken meatballs simmered in a creamy, garlicky white wine sauce with fresh spinach, making for a cozy and delicious meal perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying) + more if needed
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Mix the Meatball Ingredients: In a prep bowl, combine ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Using your hands, mix until just combined without overworking. The mixture will be slightly wet. Form approximately 20 meatballs, each about 1.25 inches in diameter, and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Fry the meatballs in two batches, turning frequently with tongs to brown all sides evenly, about 5 minutes per batch. Add extra olive oil if needed for the second batch. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate.
- Sauté Garlic: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the dry white wine, letting it bubble and reduce for about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Add Broth and Seasoning: Stir in chicken broth and Italian seasoning, then add the heavy cream. Mix well to combine, scraping the pan bottom as needed.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 3 teaspoons of cold water, then stir this slurry into the sauce. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken slightly.
- Simmer Meatballs: Return the browned meatballs to the sauce. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes to finish cooking.
- Add Spinach: Tuck fresh baby spinach into the sauce and under the meatballs using tongs or spoons. Cook for 2-3 minutes until spinach wilts and meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with extra grated parmesan cheese on top if desired.
Notes
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add an additional splash of cream or chicken broth to loosen it.
- Adjust salt quantity in the meatball mixture based on the type of salt used; reduce if not using sea or kosher salt.
