Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata Meatballs Recipe

Gluten-Free Meatballs

• Ground Chicken: You can also use ground turkey if you prefer, but sticking to the Chicken Piccata theme, I prefer ground chicken for this recipe. For this reason, I don’t recommend using ground beef or ground pork.
• Nutritional Yeast: This adds amazing cheesy flavor to the meatballs without needing parmesan cheese! You can easily find this at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and other local grocery stores.
• Almond Flour: Almond flour is what binds these gluten-free meatballs and keeps them low-carb! This is in place of gluten-free breadcrumbs. You can use your favorite gluten-free flour substitute, but my preference is almond flour.
• Minced Garlic
• Salt and Pepper
• Egg
• Lemon Zest 
• Parsley

Lemon Caper Sauce

• Olive Oil
• Ghee or Butter
• Lemon Juice 
• Chicken Broth: You can use chicken stock or bone broth as well. 
• Capers
• Arrowroot Powder: You can substitute tapioca starch if preferred. 
• Water

1. Add meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until just combined – don’t overwork the meat! Roll the meatball mixture into 15-16 meatballs (about 1.5 inches in diameter – I use a cookie scoop!)
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and sear for 4-5 minutes, cooking on all sides. Work in batches if you need to! Remove the meatballs and set them aside on a plate. (It’s ok if they aren’t cooked through, they will finish cooking in the sauce).
3. Add the ghee to the skillet and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the arrowroot powder and water together to create a slurry. 
5. Continue to stir it into the lemon broth mixture (this is to help thicken it). Add the meatballs back into the pan and continue to cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.

Mary's Tips & Tricks

• White Wine: You'll notice I omitted the white wine from this recipe. I like to keep things simple and diet/lifestyle friendly, and these gluten-free meatballs are just as delicious without the wine!
• Baking Option: If you prefer preparing the meatballs by baking in the oven, follow the first instruction to make the meat mixture. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then, place the meatballs onto a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Prepare the sauce in a skillet according to Step 4 and place the baked meatballs in the sauce and finish them off as directed in Step 5. 
• Dairy Free: This recipe can be made dairy free by substituting butter or ghee for vegan butter. The rest of the ingredients are dairy-free friendly. 

Serving Tips

• Serve these gluten-free meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes or gluten-free pasta, and garnish with fresh herbs! I love Jovial gluten-free spaghetti or Tagliatelle. A side of broccoli and your favorite gluten-free bread would pair nicely, as well!

Storage Tips

• Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or over the stove top.
• To freeze, cool the gluten-free meatballs completely. In an airtight, freezer-safe container lined with parchment paper, place the cooked meatballs in a single layer separated by parchment paper so they don’t stick together. You can also use freezer bags if preferred. Freeze for up to 6 months!
• I do not recommend freezing the raw meatballs. 

More Gluten-Free Meatballs!

Paleo Baked Butter Chicken Meatballs

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs with Homemade Marinara Sauce (Perfect for meatball subs!)

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in the Air Fryer

Paleo Swedish Meatballs with Gravy

Gluten-Free Meatloaf (No Breadcrumbs!)