A friend recently texted me some pictures from the meal he had at a new local restaurant. One photo piqued my curiosity, chicken Marsala meatballs. When I had my catering business, chicken Marsala was a client favorite. Tender pieces of chicken in a luxurious, creamy sauce loaded with umami rich mushrooms, what’s not to love? This was a recipe I wanted to try.
I buy ground turkey quite frequently, ground chicken I have shied away from. I thought that a lean meat like ground chicken would too easily result in a dry dish. But there are ways to ensure that won’t happen. Adding ricotta to meatballs is a tip I learned from chef Michael Symon on The Chew. The mild and creamy consistency of ricotta gives the meatballs a light texture. I prefer a natural ricotta, made with just milk, vinegar and salt. Place ricotta into a sieve and allow it to drain for at least a half hour to ensure a moist, but not watery meatball. I added finely chopped shiitake to the meat mixture to amp up the mushroom flavor and some panko breadcrumbs to lighten the texture of the meatballs.
Take off your rings and roll up your sleeves because it is best to use your hands for the next step. Combine the ingredients until they just come together, don’t over work. It’s easier to feel when everything is well mixed. Use oiled hands or a small cookie scoop to portion out the meat.Be gentle when forming meatballs. If they are packed too tightly and compactly, they will turn out tough, rubbery and chewy.
Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and lightly coat it with non stick spray. I chose to roast the meatballs in the oven but they could also be fried in oil on the stove top. While the meatballs are cooking, you will have time to make the sauce. The star of the sauce, of course is Marsala wine. Marsala is a fortified wine produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily. Dry Marsala is used in savory preparations like this dish while sweet Marsala is used in desserts. Tiramisu anyone?
Melt butter in a saute pan large enough to hold the meatballs. Saute shallot, then add mushrooms and garlic to the pan, I used a combination of shiitake and cremini, white button mushrooms are fine as well. Cook, stirring frequently until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add Marsala wine to the pan and cook until slightly reduced. Add cream and wine and reduce heat to a simmer. Add meatballs back to the pan tossing gently. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
This dish could be prepped ahead of time, make the meatballs and sauce and hold separately in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook dinner. Chicken Marsala meatballs make a great hors d’oeuvre, sandwich filling on a crusty roll or served over wide pasta noodles or like we did, over zucchini “noodles”.
Chicken Marsala Meatballs
Makes 24-27 meatballs
Ingredients for the meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¾ well-drained ricotta cheese
- 3 T finely chopped shallot
- 2 t finely chopped garlic
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 c finely chopped mushrooms
- ½ c freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
- ½ c panko breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions for the meatballs
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or foil. Spray the baking sheet with non stick spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl combine chicken, ricotta, shallot, garlic, egg, mushroom, cheese, panko, salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to over mix.
- Using your hands or a small cookie scoop, scoop out the meat mixture and roll into balls. Evenly place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until light golden, rotating the tray halfway through the baking time. Keep the meatballs warm while you make the sauce.
Ingredients for sauce
- 1 T unsalted butter
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 8 oz thinly sliced mushrooms-more if you like.
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- 1 c dry Marsala wine
- ¼ t dried thyme
- 2 T chopped parsley
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Directions for sauce
- Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat, add olive oil.
- Add shallot to the pan, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until softened, 1-2 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and garlic to the pan. Saute until mushrooms are cooked through, 3-4 minutes, add Marsala wine to the pan, cook until slightly reduced, 4-5 minutes.
- Add cream and thyme and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs to the pan, toss gently until well coated. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover; let them simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes. Add chopped parsley, taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
