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This chicken Florentine meatballs recipe has flavorful, tender meatballs that are smothered in a garlic cream sauce with spinach! It’s straightforward to make and elegant.
You may also like my Marry Me Chicken Meatballs or Swedish Meatballs next.
Why you’ll love it
Here I paired the classic flavors of my Chicken Florentine with ground chicken meatballs. Fewer things in life are more comforting than golden pan-seared meatballs! They take a little bit of effort, but the payoff is just so nice. And mine are juicy and taste so good.
“Florentine” refers to Florence, Italy, and a style of cooking that has spinach as a defining ingredient. Along with that, the creamy sauce has white wine, Italian herbs, and plenty of garlic. Top off this fancy (yet simple to make) dish with a dusting of parmesan!
What you’ll need
For the meatballs
- Ground chicken – it’s lean and makes great meatballs
- Breadcrumbs – we’re using panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs. They’re light and airy.
- Parmesan – for cheesy flavor plus moisture
- Parsley – a pop of freshness in each bite
- Salt & pepper – it’s important to bring out the flavors
- Garlic powder – more savory goodness
- Olive oil – for pan frying
For the sauce
- Butter – the base of the sauce
- Garlic – add even more if you wish!
- White wine and chicken broth – I recommend a dry sauv blanc or pinot grigio (one you’d drink; not cooking wine)
- Italian seasoning – my go-to aromatic herb blend
- Heavy cream – for that signature silky sauce texture
- Cornstarch – to thicken it up
- Spinach – for that classic Florentine flavor
Helpful tips
- In general, cream sauces need to be well salted, so give it a taste, and don’t be shy with the salt if it seems like it’s missing a little something!
- Make sure to heat the skillet properly before searing the meatballs so they don’t stick to the pan.
- Handle meatballs gently to keep them tender!
How to make chicken Florentine meatballs
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Add the meatballs ingredients (minus the oil) to a large prep bowl. Combine gently using your hands without overworking it. Form into meatballs, and place them on parchment paper. Heat up the oil in a skillet, and fry them in two batches until nicely browned. Transfer them to a plate.
Heat up the butter, and stir in the garlic until fragrant. Pour in the wine, and let it reduce somewhat. Stir in the broth, Italian seasoning, and cream. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Meanwhile, make a cornstarch slurry, then stir it into the sauce.
Let the sauce bubble, then return the meatballs to the skillet. Simmer (uncovered) and stir it every so often. Add the spinach, and continue to cook until it’s wilted. Taste, and add in additional salt if needed. Top with freshly grated parm if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I cannot emphasize enough that disposable nitrile gloves are a game changer when handling sticky ground chicken!
- Here’s my trusty garlic press and favorite salt & pepper mills.
- I love cooking with a cast iron skillet for the perfect sear.
Substitutions and variations
- Try my classic Creamy Chicken Florentine recipe if you prefer.
- You could swap the ground chicken for ground turkey, but I would then also add a large egg to the meatball mixture so that they don’t fall apart.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream with something lower fat. The sauce may end up thinner than intended and could curdle.
What to serve with these chicken meatballs
- For a starch, choose between my Garlic Mashed Potatoes, bright Simple Risotto, or fabulously flavorful Stick of Butter Rice.
- Some great veggie sides are this Easy Asparagus, my favorite Garlic Butter Broccolini, or these Easy Glazed Carrots.
- Make my simple Parmesan Arugula Salad on the side.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat in a covered saucepan until warmed through (don’t overcook the meatballs).
- I don’t recommend freezing these because the texture of the sauce is likely to change.
If you made these ground chicken meatballs with a creamy Florentine sauce, please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! Or tag me on Instagram.
Chicken Florentine Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying) + more if needed
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- To a prep bowl, add all the meatball ingredients (except for the olive oil). With your hands, mix it together until combined, but don't overwork the mixture. The mixture may be quite wet. Form 1.25" meatballs (it'll make approx. 20). Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and let it heat up for a few minutes (should be very hot!). Fry the meatballs in two batches until they're browned all over (about 5 min/batch). I use tongs to turn them quickly and easily. They will brown quite fast, so turn them often. If needed, add another splash of olive oil to the skillet for the second batch. Transfer your meatballs to a plate once they're browned.
- Add the butter to the pan, and once it melts, stir in the garlic. Let it cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the wine to the skillet and let it bubble for about 1 minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and cream. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 3 teaspoons of cold water and stir it into the sauce.
- Once the sauce starts to bubble, add the meatballs back to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
- Add the spinach to the skillet and use tongs or two spoons to tuck it under the meatballs. Cook for 2-3 more minutes or until the spinach is wilted and the meatballs are cooked through (165F).
- Season with extra salt & pepper as needed, and serve with some parm grated on top if desired.
Notes
- If the sauce gets too thick, add in another splash of cream or chicken broth.
- If you’re not using sea salt or kosher salt, you may want to add a bit less to the meatball mixture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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