My hubby calls these little pieces of heaven in his mouth!

These Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo offer a delicious, family-friendly meal that’s both flavorful and surprisingly easy to make. Tender, moist chicken and ricotta meatballs are baked to perfection, then bathed in a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce with fresh spinach.

Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs

For the Spinach Alfredo

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Prepare Meatball Mixture: In your biggest mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan, Italian breadcrumbs, eggs, 3 minced garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix everything with your hands until just combined. Be careful not to overwork the mixture, as this helps keep the meatballs tender.
3. Form Meatballs: Lightly wet your hands to prevent sticking. Roll the meatball mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. You should get approximately 24 meatballs from this recipe. Arrange them spaced out on your prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake Meatballs: Pop the baking sheet with the meatballs into the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are cooked through and lightly browned. While they are baking, you can start on the sauce.
5. Start Alfredo Sauce – Sauté Garlic: Grab a large skillet and melt the ½ cup butter over medium heat. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Add Cream & Simmer: Pour in the heavy cream, give it a good stir, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Do not boil vigorously; keep the heat at medium or medium-low to prevent the sauce from breaking.
7. Whisk in Parmesan & Nutmeg: Once the cream is simmering, sprinkle in the 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese completely melts into the sauce. Add a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg and stir to combine.
8. Wilt Spinach: Start adding the fresh baby spinach by the handful to the sauce. It will look like a lot at first, but it wilts down quickly. Stir continuously until all the spinach is just wilted and the sauce is thick and creamy. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve

Once the meatballs are baked and the sauce is ready, you can either add the cooked meatballs directly to the skillet with the Alfredo sauce and gently toss to coat, or serve the meatballs alongside or on top of the sauce. This dish pairs wonderfully with pasta (like fettuccine or penne), rice, or even crusty bread for dipping. Enjoy!