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    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo

    By Julia | Updated: Sep 20, 2023 | Published: Sep 20, 2023 | 4 Comments

    2.3K shares
    • Facebook472
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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo is a great choice when you're craving comfort food on a cold Fall or Winter night. This recipe will show you how to make chicken meatballs from scratch, but you can simplify this recipe by using store-bought ones. You can also make this pasta dish meatless by using plant-based meatballs. This recipe is very flexible and easily adaptable.

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo, Roasted cubed Butternut Squash and Spinach - in a cast iron skillet.

     

    Chicken meatballs with orzo

    This creamy chicken pasta uses a winning combo of ingredients: baked chicken meatballs, roasted butternut squash, spinach, orzo, garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese. It's a perfect comfort food to make during the colder months of the year. I used store-bought peeled and pre-cut butternut squash which saved me a ton of time and made the whole recipe a breeze! Making chicken meatballs from scratch is also easier than you think! This is a perfect recipe for a cozy family weeknight dinner but also appropriate for entertaining guests.

    Well-balanced meal

    This delicious recipe is packed with veggies and protein - a perfect and nutritious dinner to make on a busy weeknight. It has everything you need in a complete meal: protein (chicken meatballs), veggies and fiber (butternut squash and spinach), and pasta (orzo).

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo, Roasted cubed Butternut Squash and Spinach - on a white plate.

    Substitutions and variations

    What I love about this recipe is that it is very flexible and easily adaptable.

    • Ground meat. You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef in this recipe.
    • A good substitute for butternut squash is sweet potatoes. This way you can make this recipe year-round by using sweet potatoes when the butternut squash is not in season.
    • Seasonings can include dried oregano, fresh thyme, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, regular paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, etc.
    • Cheese. You can totally skip the Parmesan cheese or use a different cheese, such as Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or Gruyere.
    • Use store-bought chicken meatballs if you have a favorite brand that you enjoy.
    • Make it meatless by use store-bought plant-based meatballs.
    • Toppings. When serving, you can add grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, or cracked black pepper to the orzo pasta.

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo, Roasted cubed Butternut Squash and Spinach - in a cast iron skillet.

    How to make it gluten-free

    • Panko breadcrumbs. To make chicken meatballs gluten-free, make sure to use GF panic breadcrumbs or GF breadcrumbs.
    • Make this recipe gluten-free by using GF orzo or long rice instead of regular orzo.

    Other chicken orzo recipes you might like

    • Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach
    • Chicken Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, and Basil Pesto

    More butternut squash and orzo recipes you might like

    • Butternut Squash and Black Bean Orzo with Sausage
    • Creamy Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup with Orzo and Spinach
    • Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo with Sausage
    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo, Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash, and Spinach - on a white plate.
    4.14 from 178 votes

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo is a comfort food dinner that will surely become one of your family's favorite dinners! This recipe will show you how to make chicken meatballs from scratch, but you can also use store-bought ones. Make this pasta dish meatless by using plant-based meatballs. This recipe is very flexible and easily adaptable.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 593 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Chicken meatballs

    • 1 pound ground chicken
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Roasted butternut squash

    • 12 oz butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • salt and pepper
    • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme

    Orzo

    • 1 cup orzo uncooked
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 5 oz fresh spinach
    • ½ cup half-and-half
    • salt and pepper
    • fresh thyme
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions 

    Bake chicken meatballs

    • Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Mix all ingredients for chicken meatballs with a large fork or spoon in a large mixing bowl.
    • Make about 20 or 25 small meatballs (by rolling them with your hands) and place them on a baking sheet.
    • Bake for 30 minutes until cooked through.

    Roast Butternut Squash

    • In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
    • Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
    • Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F on the middle rack at 400 F for 20 or 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
    • Roast the squash at the same time as you're baking the meatballs. Proceed with the rest of the recipe in the meantime.

    Cook orzo

    • To the large, high-sided skillet add 1 cup of uncooked orzo, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the orzo on medium heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes until browned.
    • Add 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the orzo is cooked through.
    • Add spinach, and stir it in until it wilts on low-medium heat.
    • Add ½ cup of half-and-half, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

    Assembly

    • Add roasted butternut squash and baked chicken meatballs to the cooked orzo. Top with fresh thyme.

    Notes

    What is half-and-half?
    Half-and-half is half heavy cream, half milk. 1 cup of half-and-half is ½ cup of heavy cream (about 34 % fat content) + ½ cup of milk.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Orzo
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    593
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    27
    g
    42
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    8
    g
    50
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    13
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    157
    mg
    52
    %
    Sodium
     
    755
    mg
    33
    %
    Potassium
     
    1427
    mg
    41
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    53
    g
    18
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    36
    g
    72
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    12881
    IU
    258
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    35
    mg
    42
    %
    Calcium
     
    252
    mg
    25
    %
    Iron
     
    5
    mg
    28
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword chicken meatballs with orzo
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!

    Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo, Roasted cubed Butternut Squash and Spinach - in a cast iron skillet.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. John White

      October 14, 2024 at 6:31 pm

      Delicious! Made this for dinner tonight. Added a few shakes of red pepper flakes to meatballs and substituted dinosaur kale instead of spinach. Very tasty and healthy, thanks Julia!

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 17, 2024 at 11:06 pm

        Thank you, John, I am so glad this recipe was a success!

        Reply
    2. Renée D’Agati

      November 18, 2023 at 9:45 am

      What would you substitute in order to make this dairy free?

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 18, 2023 at 3:32 pm

        Renée, this recipe would taste AMAZING with unsweetened coconut milk (full-fat or lite)! You wouldn't even be able to taste the coconut flavor! 🙂

        Reply

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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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