Moist and tender chicken ricotta meatballs are simmered in a flavorful roasted red pepper tomato sauce and are amazing served over spaghetti with lots of Parmesan and basil on top.
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This is what I like to call the extra version of a good ol’ classic bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. All hail the ricotta cheese + roasted red peppers taking care of business today!
And boy do they know what they’re doing. These could quite possibly be the juiciest batch of meatballs I’ve ever had the pleasure of digging into and holy cow, that roasted red pepper sauce they simmer in is also pretty high up there.
Ricotta cheese is going to be our magic weapon here and it works so well with the lean ground chicken and transforms their meatball texture into something I can only imagine resides in meatball heaven.
Which coincidentally, is exactly where we’re headed today. Buckle up!
These Chicken Meatballs Feature…
- A juicy, rich texture thanks to the addition of creamy ricotta cheese
- A beautiful seared golden crust on the outside
- Flavorful scratch-made roasted red pepper marinara sauce
Making the Chicken Meatballs
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground chicken
- Part-skim ricotta cheese
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Olive oil
- Shallot
- Red pepper flakes
- White wine
- Tomato paste
- Roasted red peppers
- Whole peeled tomatoes
- Bay leaf
- Spaghetti, Parmesan, and basil for serving
Meat Alternatives
These meatballs also work well with ground turkey or pork and you can also mix several types of meat to equal 1 lb total.
I don’t personally recommend using ground beef for these meatballs as I found that they were a bit excessively greasy paired with the ricotta.
Tips for Perfect Chicken Meatballs
- Skip the egg in meatballs – I find that the usual egg that meatballs require isn’t needed here because of the binding properties that the ricotta cheese provides.
- Handle meatball mixture gently – use a light hand when mixing the meat so that everything stays light and tender after cooking.
- Form meatballs into uniform balls – uniformity will ensure that the meatballs cook up evenly.
- Sear meatballs – this adds a lovely golden crust to the outside of meatballs and helps them hold their shape during simmering.
- Finish cooking meatballs in sauce – once all the ingredients are added to the pan, cover pan, and allow to simmer on low 15-20 minutes to build flavor in the sauce and finish cooking the meatballs.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these meatballs.
- Adjust heat level – leave out the red pepper flakes for a no-heat sauce or alternatively, use spicy roasted red peppers or add additional red pepper flakes to taste for more heat.
- Add more veggies to sauce – try adding a handful of diced carrot, mushrooms, or zucchini to the sauce for extra heartiness.
- Skip the white wine – replace the white wine in the sauce with chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving these meatballs and sauce like you would traditional spaghetti and meatballs with warm cooked spaghetti noodles and lots of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh basil on top.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
These meatballs + sauce store well in refrigerator up to 6 days. I recommend reheating individual servings in microwave 1-2 minutes on high and serving with warm pasta, Parmesan, and basil on top.
To freeze meatballs, allow to cool completely then arrange the meatballs + sauce in a container leaving 1 inch of open air on top. Cover meatballs and freeze up to 2 months.
To serve meatballs after freezing, either allow to thaw completely in refrigerator and reheat or reheat from frozen in microwave 4-5 minutes on high.
More chicken meatball favorites we love around here!
Save this recipe for later using the ‘save to recipe box’ button. If you make it, please let me know by leaving a comment + star rating below the recipe card. This only takes moments and helps support my website so much!
Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
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Ingredients
Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked spaghetti noodles, fresh basil, and grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Scoop mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on a plate.
- Heat a large high-walled skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan and sear on all sides, turning occasionally with a tongs until meatballs are golden brown. Transfer meatballs to a clean plate and set aside.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Heat same pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat pan. Add shallot and sauté 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes if using and cook 1 additional minute until fragrant.
- Pour white wine into pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Bring white wine to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes until reduced in half.
- Add tomato paste, roasted red peppers, and whole tomatoes to pan. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Use a potato masher to mash tomatoes.
- Reduce heat to low, add bay leaf and meatballs to sauce, cover pan, and let sauce simmer 15-20 minutes until meatballs register 165F and sauce is slightly reduced, stirring occasionally.
- Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed and serve warm over spaghetti with fresh basil and Parmesan on top. Enjoy!
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