Giada De Laurentiis Just Turned Chicken Piccata Into Meatballs & They’re the Perfect Appetizer

If you find yourself ordering chicken piccata every time you go to an Italian restaurant, then Giada De Laurentiis has the perfect dish for you. She gave the classic piccata recipe a facelift and infused the lemony and buttery flavors you know and love into fluffy, tasty meatballs. Serve these as an appetizer or over pasta for a quick snack or light dinner and you’ll have an entirely new way to enjoy chicken piccata in your cooking arsenal.

“I love taking familiar Italian flavors that I love and transforming them into something different,” De Laurentiis wrote in the recipe description on her website. “One of my best-selling dishes at my restaurant are the Chicken Marsala meatballs, so I decided to do the same concept with the Piccata treatment!”

“All the flavors of chicken piccata…in meatballs!” the Giadzy Instagram description reads. “These meatballs are as tender as they get. Serve them as an appetizer, alongside rice or orzo, or over an arugula salad for a light lunch.”

Not only do they taste great, but they only take about 30 minutes to make. The meatballs are a mixture of ground chicken, breadcrumbs, whole milk, parmesan, lemon zest, and a few seasonings — basically a plate of chicken piccata in meatball form. After they’re formed, you cook them under the broiler for about 10 minutes while you get started on the sauce, which is a savory blend of olive oil, chicken broth, lemon juice, capers, and Parmigiano Reggiano. You then toss the meatballs into the sauce, simmer for about five minutes, and then you’re ready to serve!

If your mouth isn’t watering yet, you’re not a true chicken piccata fan.

Grab De Laurentiis’ full recipe for Chicken Piccata Meatballs here and add the dish to your weekly rotation. They’re great to keep in the fridge for snacking or to serve to guests as a meal.

In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty: