Piccata in Italian means larded - which defines the fat in the sauce, which is butter. In French the word means Sharp - which answers to the acids in the dish - capers and lemon. So although the origins of this dish are thought to have come from Sicily, the French have also had a firm hand in creating this delicious sauce. This flavor combination was introduced to the United States in the 1930’s by Italian Immigrants.
I make Piccata sauce often and serve it with Chicken, Veal and even Flounder. These dishes are easy enough to make, but I wanted something that was a little more freezer friendly and on hand to serve a large group. Meatballs seemed the way to go! Served with a side of Linguini or Spaghetti to catch the sauce, this has become a favorite. I always add more Capers when my granddaughter Olivia is joining us for dinner. She loves capers and will scoop out all the capers from the pan sauce. Love yaLiv!!!
Chicken Meatballs with Piccata Pan Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs:
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley (plus more)
• 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)
• 1 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Sauce:
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup white wine
• 1/4 cup capers (plus 2 tsp caper brine)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
1. MEATBALLS: In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix together all the ingredients except the ground chicken. When the ingredients are combined, add the ground chicken and mix until combined. (Don’t overwork the mixture). Roll into 20-22 meatballs using a or about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
2. SEAR: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a little oil. Add the meatballs to the skillet but do not overcrowd. Cook in batches if necessary. Sear the meatballs for 4-5 minutes, flipping to brown all sides evenly. We'll finish cooking the meatballs through in the sauce later. Remove meatballs to a plateor transfer to a ziplock bag for freezing.
3. SAUCE: Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the Wine to deglaze the pan. Slowly drizzle in the chicken broth and continue. Add the caper brine, capers, lemon juice, and allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Then add the meatballs reduce the heat to medium and let thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Lower the heat to low, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and allow them to slowly melt into the sauce as you stir. The butter will help thicken the sauce further. Serve with additional chopped parsley and shaved Parmesan Cheese on top.
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