Chicken Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo Sauce

Chicken meatballs in spinach alfredo sauce in a white cast iron skillet

4.86 from 7 votes

Chicken Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo Sauce

These ground chicken meatballs with spinach alfredo sauce are definitely going into rotation around here as an easy weeknight dinner since my entire family devoured them! The meatballs get nice and crispy in the oven while you make the pasta and scrumptious sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Mary Smith

Equipment

sheet pan

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 lb lean ground chicken
1 egg
⅓ cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs or almond flour
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Italian seasoning
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Spinach Alfredo Sauce

2 tbsp butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 ¼ cups half & half or Original Nutpods
⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 cups fresh spinach chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Combine the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix using your hands.
Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop to form the mixture into 12 meatballs.
Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add in the half & half and parmesan and stir over medium heat until it begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes.
Add in the spinach and stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When the meatballs come out of the oven, nestle them into the sauce. Serve over gluten free pasta of choice.

Air Fryer Instructions

Instead of baking the meatballs, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Spray the basket, then place the uncooked meatballs in a single layer. Spray the tops of the meatballs with cooking oil. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook in batches if necessary.

Notes

One serving = 3 meatballs and ¼ of the total spinach alfredo sauce. Pasta not included in the nutrition facts.
I prefer to use lean ground chicken. You can also use ground beef to make beef meatballs, or ground turkey to make turkey meatballs.
I use Jovial Foods gluten-free spaghetti for this recipe but you can use any kind of pasta and any shape of pasta regular or gluten-free will work.
To ensure your meatballs are done bake for at least 18 minutes or if you have a meat thermometer, make sure the internal temperature of your meatball is 165 degrees F before consuming.
If spinach alfredo sauce isn’t your favorite, you can also pair these tender meatballs topped with your favorite pasta sauces instead.
For best results, serve immediately after cooking.
Store leftover ground chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Store leftover spinach alfredo sauce in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat over the stovetop until warmed through.
I recommend reheating meatballs in a pan over medium heat, or in the microwave (covered) for 2-3 minutes.
To freeze these meatballs, you have two options:

Option 1, you can freeze these meatballs, after they’ve been cooked by letting them cool completely, then placing them in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag. When you're ready to eat them, remove them from the freezer, let them reach room temperature, and reheat in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Option 2, you can freeze raw meatballs to bake later. If you want to do this, shape the meatballs and arrange them in a single layer in a freezer-safe airtight container (using parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking) and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition