Chicken Meatballs in Lemony Sauce

My family loves meatballs, and these chicken meatballs are their all-time favorite. They are tender and juicy, then covered with a creamy lemony sauce that is bursting with a middle eastern flavor.

The chicken meatballs are a little lighter than their beef counterparts, but they’re still plenty flavorful and are super easy to prepare. You can customize the recipe and use any ground meat to your preferred liking!

How to make chicken meatballs in lemony sauce?

Step 1: Make the meatballs: Combine all the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix together well, using your hands. Roll into 1½- inch balls and place on the parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes until slightly golden. It’s okay if they are not fully cooked, they will cook in the sauce.

Step 2: Make the sauce: Heat oil in a pot, add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Add the red pepper and lemon and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. Add paprika, turmeric, and sugar. Pour in the boiling water and bring it to a second boil.

To thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water thoroughly. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the pot. Add salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Step 3: Cook the meatballs: Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Tips For Success:

Ground chicken: When you select your ground chicken, pick 93-96% lean ground chicken. Avoid 99% lean ground chicken breast. You can use ground turkey instead of ground chicken with great results.

Rolling the meatballs: Roll your meatballs with lightly oiled hands to prevent the meat from sticking to your fingers.

What To Serve With Chicken Meatballs?

My favorite way to serve these easy homemade meatballs is on top of a pile of rice or mashed potatoes. Another option is to serve them with any pasta you like – linguine, penne, fusilli… But you can also serve lots of different things with these delicious meatballs, like a piece of thick bread or Challah.

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Chicken Meatballs in Lemony Sauce

Author Rachel

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Yield 16 meatballs

Print Pin Recipe

Description

Tender and juicy, then covered with a creamy lemony sauce that is bursting with a middle eastern flavor.

Kosher, Meat

Equipment

• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Grater
• Large pot with a lid

Ingredients

For the chicken meatballs:

• ▢ 1 medium-large Yukon gold potato, peeled
• ▢ 1 lb (450 grams) ground chicken
• ▢ 1 small onion finely chopped
• ▢ 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves crushed 
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ cooking spray 

For the sauce:

• ▢ 3 tablespoons 45 ml olive oil
• ▢ 1 small onion chopped
• ▢ 5 garlic cloves sliced 
• ▢ 1 red pepper sliced 
• ▢ 1 medium-large lemon without seeds and cut into slices
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (10 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 cups (480 ml) boiling water
• ▢ 1 1/2 Tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
• ▢ 4 tablespoons (60 ml) cold water
• ▢ 1/4 cup parsley chopped
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

To make the meatballs:

• Using a box grater or food processor fitted with a grating disc, coarsely grate the potato. Wrap the grated potato in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• Combine all the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix together well, using your hands. Roll into 1½-inch balls and place on the parchment paper.
• Spray with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes until slightly golden. It's okay if they are not fully cooked, they will cook in the sauce.

The sauce:

• Heat olive oil in a pot, add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the red pepper and lemon and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. Add paprika, turmeric, and sugar. 
• Carefully pour in the boiling water, cover, and bring it to a boil.
• In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water thoroughly.
• Pour the corn starch mixture into the pot. Add salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
• Add the meatballs, cover the pot and cook over low-medium heat for 30 minutes. Give the meatballs a little stir about halfway through.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Tried this recipe? Tag@mamalivingabroad