Giada Chicken Meatball Orecchiette
Indulge in the delightful flavors of Giada's Chicken Meatball Orecchiette! Juicy chicken meatballs are seasoned to perfection and paired with tender orecchiette pasta, all tossed in a vibrant marinara sauce. This comforting dish, featuring fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan, is sure to become a family favorite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- as much basil as you wantoptional
- quarter cup chopped parsley (60 ml)
- a little pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1 pound ground chicken (454 g)
- a cup and a half of chicken stock (360 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- two eggs lightly beaten
- tablespoon of milk (15 ml)
- two things of mozzarella pearls
- three quarter cup grated Romano (180 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- quarter cup of plain breadcrumbs (60 ml)
- one and a quarter cup olive oil (300 ml)
- orecchiette pasta
- two packs of little tomatoes
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- a little salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- tablespoon of ketchup (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs together.
- 2
Form the mixture into meatballs and fry them in olive oil for about two minutes on each side until browned.
- 3
Once browned, add chicken stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then let it simmer for five minutes.
- 4
Cook the orecchiette pasta in salted water until al dente.
- 5
Combine the pasta with the meatballs and sauce, add mozzarella pearls and basil, and mix well.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown meatballs at 375°F oil temperature for exactly 2 minutes per side to create Maillard reaction crust while keeping centers at 140°F to finish cooking in the sauce.technique375°F oil, 140°F internal
- ✓Add mozzarella pearls off heat and toss immediately so they soften to 130°F without fully melting, maintaining distinct creamy pockets throughout the pasta.timing130°F cheese temp
- ✓Reserve 1 cup starchy pasta water before draining orecchiette - its 2-3% starch content will bind the sauce to the pasta's curved surfaces when tossed.technique2-3% starch content
- ✓Simmer meatballs in sauce for exactly 5 minutes to reach 165°F internal temperature while preventing overcooking that would make them dense and dry.timing165°F internal, 5 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of ground chicken to breadcrumbs in meatballs because chicken's lower fat content requires more binder to maintain moisture and prevent crumbling.ingredient3:1 ratio
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Giada Chicken Meatball Orecchiette
Indulge in the delightful flavors of Giada's Chicken Meatball Orecchiette! Juicy chicken meatballs are seasoned to perfection and paired with tender orecchiette pasta, all tossed in a vibrant marinara sauce. This comforting dish, featuring fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan, is sure to become a family favorite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- as much basil as you wantoptional
- quarter cup chopped parsley (60 ml)
- a little pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1 pound ground chicken (454 g)
- a cup and a half of chicken stock (360 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- two eggs lightly beaten
- tablespoon of milk (15 ml)
- two things of mozzarella pearls
- three quarter cup grated Romano (180 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- quarter cup of plain breadcrumbs (60 ml)
- one and a quarter cup olive oil (300 ml)
- orecchiette pasta
- two packs of little tomatoes
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- a little salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- tablespoon of ketchup (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs together.
- 2
Form the mixture into meatballs and fry them in olive oil for about two minutes on each side until browned.
- 3
Once browned, add chicken stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then let it simmer for five minutes.
- 4
Cook the orecchiette pasta in salted water until al dente.
- 5
Combine the pasta with the meatballs and sauce, add mozzarella pearls and basil, and mix well.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown meatballs at 375°F oil temperature for exactly 2 minutes per side to create Maillard reaction crust while keeping centers at 140°F to finish cooking in the sauce.technique375°F oil, 140°F internal
- ✓Add mozzarella pearls off heat and toss immediately so they soften to 130°F without fully melting, maintaining distinct creamy pockets throughout the pasta.timing130°F cheese temp
- ✓Reserve 1 cup starchy pasta water before draining orecchiette - its 2-3% starch content will bind the sauce to the pasta's curved surfaces when tossed.technique2-3% starch content
- ✓Simmer meatballs in sauce for exactly 5 minutes to reach 165°F internal temperature while preventing overcooking that would make them dense and dry.timing165°F internal, 5 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of ground chicken to breadcrumbs in meatballs because chicken's lower fat content requires more binder to maintain moisture and prevent crumbling.ingredient3:1 ratio