Chicken Romano Meatballs
Tender, juicy chicken meatballs packed with Romano cheese, garlic, and Italian herbs, served in a zesty lemon-broth pan sauce. A delicious dinner option that pairs beautifully with pasta, rice, or roasted vegetables.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 6 meatballs with sauce
Calories per serving: 295
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs (or gluten-free if needed)
- ⅓ cup grated Romano cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Pan Sauce
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of salt
- 1⅓ cups chicken broth
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make the meatball mixture:
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, Romano cheese, parsley, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Use clean hands to mix just until combined—avoid overmixing for tender meatballs. - Shape the meatballs:
Form the mixture into about 24 small meatballs, each roughly 1 inch in size. - Brown the meatballs:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan), and brown them on all sides for 5–6 minutes total. They don’t need to be fully cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate. - Make the pan sauce:
In the same skillet, add the diced shallot and minced garlic with a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in the lemon slices and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes. - Bake the meatballs:
Return the browned meatballs to the skillet with the lemon broth. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through (internal temp 165°F or 74°C). - Serve:
Spoon the meatballs and lemony broth over your choice of pasta, rice, sautéed spinach, or roasted veggies. They also make an excellent sandwich filling on a hoagie roll.
Variations
- Substitute Romano cheese with Parmesan or Asiago.
- Use ground turkey instead of chicken.
- Swap basil and oregano for thyme or rosemary.
- Omit red pepper flakes for a milder flavor.
- For extra lemon flavor, add a bit of zest to the sauce before baking.