Baked Chicken Meatballs with Orzo

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Tuscan-Style Orzo, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Spinach - in a cast iron skillet.

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Orzo

This recipe features homemade chicken meatballs paired with a creamy Tuscan-style orzo. The meatballs are baked instead of fried, and the entire dish comes together in just 45 minutes—a complete meal that's perfect for busy weeknights or easy entertaining.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken meatballs with orzo

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 628kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the chicken meatballs:

1 lb ground chicken (I used a mixture of chicken breasts and thighs)
1 large egg
½ cup panko breadcrumbs (use gluten-free for gluten-free version)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Orzo pasta:

⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped (with their oil)
1 cup orzo uncooked
2 cups chicken stock
4 oz fresh spinach
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan optional, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the meatballs:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently coat the parchment paper with cooking spray.
In a bowl, add ground chicken, egg, panko breadcrumbs, Italian herbs, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir the mixture with clean hands until well combined.
Shape the ground chicken mixture into meatballs (around 1 tablespoon).
Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 25-30 minutes, flipping them halfway through baking.

Prepare the orzo:

Heat your 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and their oil to the skillet. Add the uncooked orzo and cook it, stirring, for 2 minutes, to infuse the flavors together.
Add the chicken stock into the skillet with orzo. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer the orzo for 5-10 minutes, occasionally stirring, to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of your pan.
Add heavy cream and spinach. Simmer for 2 minutes or until the orzo is creamy and the spinach is wilted.
Add the baked chicken meatballs and cook them for 1 minute. Serve the orzo and chicken meatballs warm, garnished with parmesan if desired.

Notes

I used a mixture of chicken breasts and thighs (light and dark meat) because this gives your meatballs a juicier flavor.
Instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can use Italian breadcrumbs. You can also use gluten-free version.
Shape your ground chicken mixture into 20 meatballs – this is the perfect amount and size for baking.
I like to shape the meatballs with clean and oiled hands, to prevent chicken from sticking to your hands.
You can serve baked meatballs garnished with some chopped parsley, basil, or just a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Nutrition