Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs with Creamy Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce
These Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs are tender, juicy, and packed with protein. Simmered in a rich, creamy fire-roasted tomato sauce, they make an easy and healthy weeknight meal.
Ricotta cheese is the secret ingredient, keeping these chicken ricotta meatballs incredibly soft and almost fluffy, while adding richness and moisture to the meat mixture. With about 30 grams of protein per serving, this is a satisfying meal that can be made ahead for busy nights and reheats beautifully for leftovers.
This recipe has been kitchen-tested to ensure consistent, reliable results.
Good To Know
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Inactive Time: 15 minutes | Serves: 6
Equipment Needed: Large baking sheet, deep skillet, sauté pan or large pot
Quick Tip: Meatballs can be baked up to 2 days ahead and finished in the sauce just before serving, making them perfect for meal prep and busy weeknights.
Flavor Profile: Creamy, zesty sauce with a light-tasting fluffy meatball
What Makes Chicken Ricotta Meatballs So Juicy & Tender?
The secret to tender chicken and ricotta meatballs is ricotta cheese and grating (not chopping) the onion. Since lean ground chicken is naturally lean, it can dry out quickly when overcooked. Ricotta as well as the grated onion (and its juices) infuse the meat with moisture throughout, making them soft, fluffy, tender and juicy.
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
- High Protein Meal: The combination of ricotta and chicken works out to be about 30g of protein per serving.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: The meatballs can be baked ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to finish them in the sauce.
- Baked or Air-Fried: For air-frying, preheat at 400°F and cook for 8 minutes per batch.
- Light and Fluffy Texture: The meatballs are very tender thanks to the ricotta and grated onion.
- Rich Creamy Sauce: The sauce comes together quickly with canned fire-roasted tomatoes. It is creamy and smooth and makes a delicious meal on its own over pasta.
- Great for Meal Prep: Make a double batch! Leftovers reheat well and will last you through the week.
Living in Toronto we used to have a favorite little spot on College Street, aptly named ‘Hey Meatball’. It has long since closed, but to this day I remember how their homemade meatballs were. Eating this version of chicken and ricotta meatballs smothered in the creamy tomato sauce fondly takes me back to those days *sigh*.
While I prefer baking the meatballs because its the most convenient way to cook for my hungry family, if you are looking for smaller batch cooking, divide the recipe in half and air fry them at 400°F for 8 minutes instead.
Table of Contents
- What Makes Chicken Ricotta Meatballs So Juicy & Tender?
- Why You’ll Love These Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
- Ingredients
- How To Make Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs
- Substitutions & Variations
- Can You Air Fry These Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs?
- Expert Tips
- Recipe Testing Notes (What Worked Best)
- Make Ahead and Storage Info
- Recipe FAQs
- Delicious Starts Here
Ingredients
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
- Ground Chicken: I use 93% lean which is the most commonly found in the grocery stores
- Ricotta Cheese: Makes the meatballs light and fluffy. Use only whole milk ricotta for better flavor and texture.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Helps create a light texture in the meatball.
- Egg: Hydrates the panko to make a paste that gets evenly distributed into the meat.
- Parmesan: Grate the Parmesan yourself on the fine holes of the box grater, this allows the cheese to melt better into the meatball.
- Grated Onion: My favorite way of incorporating onion into ground meat. The fine shreds of onion and the accumulated juices flavor the meatballs nicely and give them wonderful texture.
- Fire-Roasted Canned Tomatoes: If you can’t fine the crushed ones, than use diced with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste added. Blend until smooth before adding remaining ingredients.
- Heavy Cream: When combined with the Ricotta makes for a creamy, velvety sauce.
How To Make Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
1. Combine the ricotta, panko, egg, onion, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and seasonings.
2. Stir the binder mixture until everything is evenly combined.
3. Fold in the ground chicken and Parmesan, then scoop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. Smooth the scooped mixture into meatballs and space them apart on the baking sheet.
5. Bake until the meatballs are lightly golden and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
6. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
7. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
8. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.
9. Add the baked meatballs to the sauce, dollop with ricotta, and warm until the cheese begins to soften.
Substitutions & Variations
- Ground turkey works just as well and produces a similar texture, or try this recipe with ground beef or a mixture of 1/4 ground veal, 1/4 ground pork and 1/2 ground beef.
- Make it spicy by adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Swap the pasta for mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or tucked into sandwich rolls.
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Can You Air Fry These Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs?
Yes, this recipe is perfect for air frying as the chicken and ricotta meatballs stay just as tender as if they were baked. The added benefit to air frying is small batch cooking for two. Simply divide the recipe in half to feed less people.
How to Air Fry Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
2. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer with space between them.
3. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F.
4. Transfer the cooked meatballs directly into the creamy fire-roasted tomato sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Grating onions: is the way to get the best flavor and texture. The finely shredded onion seems to melt into the meat while the accumulated onion juice really boosts the flavor of these chicken meatballs.
- Use only whole milk ricotta for the smoothest texture and creamiest taste.
- Use an instant-read thermometer since ground chicken is lean and it can dry out easily if cooked too long. The meatballs are done when they register 165°F.
Recipe Testing Notes (What Worked Best)
A few things I noted when I tried this recipe:
- Using breadcrumbs instead of panko led to a drier meatball, if all you have are breadcrumbs, then reduce the amount to 1/3 cup.
- I tried dicing the onions initially but found grated onion and the accumulated juices made the meatballs more tender and juicy. This also worked well in the sauce making it smoother and giving it more flavor.
- I initially used diced fire-roasted tomatoes in their own juices but felt the sauce was too watery. Adding tomato paste thickened it, but found in the end it was easier to just use crushed fire-roasted tomatoes instead to get the same texture.
Make Ahead and Storage Info
This chicken and ricotta meatball recipe in creamy ricotta sauce is a great make-ahead meal for busy weeknights and entertaining. Prepare and bake the meatballs up to 2 days in advance. The sauce can also be prepared 2 days ahead.
Refrigerator: Store meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: The meatballs and sauce can be frozen in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave oven.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Lean ground chicken, and ricotta cheese make these meatballs high in protein, making this a light but satisfying dinner.
Yes, the meatballs and sauce can be frozen together or individually. I like to make a double batch of meatballs, bake them and then freeze them for a quick meal later on.
For a complete meal, serve with your choice of pasta and a side of crusty ciabatta or garlic bread. A nice green salad, roasted rapini or broccolini also make great additions.
Delicious Starts Here
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a rating and a comment below; your feedback helps other home cooks decide if this recipe is right for them. And if you share it on Instagram, tag me @aspicedlifeblog so I can see your beautiful creations.🧡
Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs with Creamy Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup (165g) whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (60g) grated onion see note
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 1 clove
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound (454g) 93% lean ground chicken
- ¼ cup (14g) grated Parmesan cheese finely grated
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup (120g) grated onion see note
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 1 28-ounce can (794g) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes see note
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt + pepper to taste
- 1 cup (227ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (110g) ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup (14g) grated Parmesan cheese finely grated
- Fresh basil optional
Equipment
Instructions
Make the meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, panko, grated onion, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to hydrate.
- Fold in the ground chicken and Parmesan cheese until combined. Do not overmix.
- Scoop mixture with a medium-sized cookie scoop and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes to help the meatballs hold their shape.
- Smooth the meatballs by rolling them between oiled hands, then place them back on the baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F. Set the meatballs aside while you make the sauce.
Make the sauce:
- In a large, deep skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened.
- Stir in the heavy cream and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the baked meatballs to the sauce, dollop with the ricotta, and add Parmesan cheese.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the meatballs are warmed through and the cheese is just beginning to melt.
- Top with fresh basil, if desired, and serve over cooked pasta.
Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more easy dinner recipes?
If these Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs hit the spot, try my Turkey Feta Meatballs with Zucchini for a lighter Mediterranean-inspired meal. Another easy weeknight meal is my Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti, a creamy pasta recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights and family meals.
