Name: Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken; 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese; 2/3 cup panko breadcumbs; 1/2 tsp salt; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp lemon zest; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 stick butter; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp flour; 1 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup capers + 2 tbsp caper brine; 1/4 cup lemon juice

These chicken piccata meatballs take everything you love about classic piccata (bright lemon, briny capers, and a silky garlic butter sauce) and roll it into tender, juicy bites that are on the table in about 30 minutes. If you've made my cod piccata or my chicken piccata skillet, you already know how good this flavor combo is, and these meatballs make it even easier to serve the whole family!

A Quick Look

Recipe Name: Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Ready In: 40 minutes
Serves: 20 meatballs
Main Ingredients: ground chicken, grated parmesan cheese, panko breadcumbs, salt, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, butter
Why You'll Love It: Mix up your regular chicken piccata with these Chicken Piccata Meatballs. Deliciously made with lemon zest, garlic, and a caper sauce!

Jump to:

Easy Chicken Piccata Meatballs in a Lemon Caper Sauce
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients Needed To Make These Chicken Piccata Meatballs
How to Make Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Erin's Expert Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Storing leftovers
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Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Easy Chicken Piccata Meatballs in a Lemon Caper Sauce

Classic chicken piccata usually means pounding chicken breasts thin and dredging them in flour. These meatballs skip all of that! Ground chicken gets mixed with parmesan, panko, garlic, and lemon zest, rolled into bite-sized balls, and browned right in the same pan you'll use for the sauce.

Once the meatballs are golden, make a quick butter, garlic, and broth sauce with capers, a splash of caper brine, and fresh lemon juice. It's the same tangy, savory sauce that makes piccata so craveable, and the meatballs soak it right up. If you love a bright, herby meatball, my lemon feta dill meatballs are another family favorite.

Serve these over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for an easy weeknight dinner that feels a little bit fancy. And if you need more meatball recipes like this one, you're going to LOVE my baked chicken parmesan meatballs or my butter chicken meatballs!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something comforting without a lot of fuss.
One pan does it all. The meatballs brown and the sauce simmers in the same sauté pan, so cleanup is a breeze.
No pounding or dredging. You get all the piccata flavor without flattening chicken breasts.
Tender, juicy meatballs. Parmesan, panko, and lemon zest keep the ground chicken flavorful and moist.
That lemon caper sauce! Buttery, garlicky, and tangy, it's the best part of the whole dish.
Family-friendly and versatile. Serve over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes, or with your favorite veggie side.

Ingredients Needed To Make These Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Here's a little bit about everything that goes into these chicken piccata meatballs:

Photo of ingredients for Chicken Piccata Meatballs with labels.

Ground chicken: The base of the meatballs. It's lean and mild, so it soaks up all that lemony flavor. Ground turkey works too!
Panko breadcrumbs: Help bind the meatballs and keep them light and tender.
Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, nutty flavor to every bite.
Lemon (zest and juice): Zest goes into the meatballs, and fresh juice goes into the sauce for that bright piccata flavor.
Butter: Creates a rich, silky base for the sauce.
Chicken broth: Thins out the sauce and gives it savory depth. Low-sodium broth is a great option if you're watching salt.
Capers and caper brine: The signature piccata ingredient! They add a briny, tangy pop to the sauce.

How to Make Chicken Piccata Meatballs

These meatballs come together in a few simple stages: mix and roll the meatballs, brown them in a hot pan, then build the lemon caper sauce right in the same skillet. Once the sauce thickens, the meatballs go back in to finish cooking and soak up all that flavor.

A large sauté pan is your best friend here, since it gives the meatballs room to brown without crowding. Have your sauce ingredients measured out before you start, because things move quickly once the butter hits the pan!

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, parmesan, panko, salt, minced garlic, and lemon zest. Mix until just combined.

Step 2: Roll the mixture into balls, about 2 tablespoons each. You should get about 20 meatballs.

Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove them to a plate.

Step 4: In the same pan, melt the butter, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Whisk in the flour.

Step 5: Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then add the capers, caper brine, and lemon juice. Simmer for 6-7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

Step 6: Return the meatballs to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, spooning the sauce over the top, until cooked through. Serve over pasta or rice and spoon any extra sauce over the top.

Before you start

erin antoniak in the kitchen giving expert tips on how to make her recipes

Erin's Expert Tips

From my kitchen to yours

Don't overmix the meat. Stir just until everything is combined to keep the meatballs tender.
Wet your hands. Lightly damp hands make rolling the meatballs so much easier and less sticky.
Don't crowd the pan. Brown the meatballs in batches if needed so they get a nice golden crust.
Zest before you juice. Zest your lemons first, then juice them. It's much easier than the other way around!
Add the broth slowly. Whisking it in a little at a time keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common questions about these chicken piccata meatballs.

Yes! Ground turkey works great in this recipe and has a similar mild flavor.

Capers are what give piccata its signature flavor, but if you're not a fan, some readers have swapped in chopped olives for a similar briny bite.

Traditional piccata often uses white wine, and some readers have used it in place of the chicken broth. The broth keeps this version simple and family-friendly.

This recipe pan-sears the meatballs so they brown nicely and build flavor for the sauce. If you prefer a hands-off oven method, check out my baked meatballs recipe for guidance, then finish them in the lemon caper sauce.

They're delicious over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. For a side, try green bean casserole, a shaved Brussels sprout salad or my fall harvest salad.

As written, no, since the recipe uses panko and flour. Look for gluten-free breadcrumbs and a gluten-free flour blend if you need to avoid gluten.

Storing leftovers

Let the meatballs and sauce cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop until warmed through, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened.

If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!

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