Tuscan Chicken Meatballs and Orzo
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 671cal
This Tuscan Chicken Meatballs and Orzo is an easy one pan meal the whole family loves! With sun dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, Parmesan, spinach and homemade chicken meatballs, it's loaded with flavor!
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Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound Maple Leaf Prime Raised Without Antibiotics ground chicken (454 grams)
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs (55 grams)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (35 grams)
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil (for the pan)
Creamy Tuscan Orzo
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1½ cups dry orzo pasta (about 270 grams)
- ⅔ cup cream (18%-35% fat)
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
Instructions
Chicken Meatballs
- In a large bowl, stir together ground chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan, milk, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well but don’t overmix. Let sit for 10-20 minutes for the bread crumbs to absorb excess moisture.
- Roll into 1-1¼” balls.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and sear the meatballs on all sides until golden brown.
- Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Creamy Tuscan Orzo
- Add the sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, salt, oregano, black pepper and red chili flakes to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits. Bring it to a low boil.
- Stir in the orzo, cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper, and stir. Place the meatballs on top, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the orzo is al dente. It might look liquidy at first, but it will thicken quickly!
- Stir in the spinach, taste, adjust seasonings as desired and serve.
Video
Notes
*We love meatballs, so there’s a good amount of meatballs per serving in this recipe. If you prefer, you could increase the orzo to 2 cups and the broth to 3¼ cups to serve more people.
*Baking meatballs: you can also bake the meatballs and add them to the orzo after they are cooked. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 12 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Orzo: any kind of small pasta works here, but you are aiming for the same cook time since the meatballs need to finish cooking through in the time it takes the pasta to cook to al dente.
Cream: I do not recommend using lighter cream or milk since the extended cooking time can cause it to curdle -- 18% or higher fat is recommended.
Make-Ahead & Freeze: The best way to make this recipe ahead of time is to make the meatballs and freeze them to use later on. Freeze them either before or after searing them. Allow them to cool, then put them on parchment paper on a baking tray in a single layer. Flash freeze them, then store them in Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to 3 months.
*Baking meatballs: you can also bake the meatballs and add them to the orzo after they are cooked. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 12 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Meatballs: you can use any kind of meatballs here, even pre-cooked frozen meatballs. Simply add them to the pasta at the same place in the recipe.Orzo: any kind of small pasta works here, but you are aiming for the same cook time since the meatballs need to finish cooking through in the time it takes the pasta to cook to al dente.
Cream: I do not recommend using lighter cream or milk since the extended cooking time can cause it to curdle -- 18% or higher fat is recommended.
Storage
Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.Make-Ahead & Freeze: The best way to make this recipe ahead of time is to make the meatballs and freeze them to use later on. Freeze them either before or after searing them. Allow them to cool, then put them on parchment paper on a baking tray in a single layer. Flash freeze them, then store them in Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 350grams | Calories: 671cal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 1296mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1452IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg