# Chicken Piccata Meatballs with Cacio e Pepe

> Chicken Piccata Meatballs with Cacio e Pepe (ready in about 45 minutes, makes 4 servings), laid out as Shop It, Mise It and Make It: shop once, prep everything, then cook.

Published: 2026-06-06
Posted by Suzanne Lejeune

- **Yield:** 4 servings
- **Total time:** ~45 minutes
- **Cuisine:** Italian
- **Course:** Full Meal, Main Dish, Side Dish
- **Est. cost:** ~$24–$32 CAD (at time of writing)

Chicken Piccata Meatballs + Cacio e Pepe | SIMM

✨ Make-a-Meal by SIMM

## Shop It

### Meat & Seafood

- Ground chicken — 1 lb, 93% lean preferred

### Produce

- Lemons — 2
- Shallot — 1 small
- Fresh parsley — 1 small bunch

### Dairy & Eggs

- Parmesan cheese — ½ cup, grated
- Pecorino Romano — 1½ cup, finely grated
- Unsalted butter — 3 Tbsp
- Egg — 1 large

### Bakery & Bread

- Panko breadcrumbs — ½ cup

### Pantry

- All-purpose flour — 2 tsp
- Chicken broth — 1 cup, plus extra if needed
- Capers — 2 Tbsp, rinsed
- Table salt — ½ tsp, plus pasta water salt
- Black pepper — ¾ tsp for meatballs + 1½ tsp for pasta, plus more to taste

### Oils & Fats

- Extra-virgin olive oil — ⅓ cup

### Packaged / Shelf-Stable

- Spaghetti or tonnarelli — 1 lb

## Mise It

### Lemon Prep (microplane + citrus juicer + knife)

- Halve 1 lemon lengthwise.
- Trim the ends from 1 half, halve lengthwise again, then slice very thinly.
- Zest and juice the remaining 1½ lemons to get 1½ tsp zest and 3 Tbsp juice.

### Meatball Mix (large bowl)

- Grate ½ cup Parmesan.
- Measure ½ cup panko, ¾ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp salt.
- Lightly beat 1 egg.
- Keep 1 lb ground chicken chilled until mixing.

### Piccata Sauce (small bowls)

- Mince 1 shallot.
- Measure 2 tsp flour, 1 cup chicken broth, and 2 Tbsp rinsed capers.
- Cut 3 Tbsp butter into ½-inch cubes.
- Chop 1 Tbsp fresh parsley.

### Pasta Setup (large pot + grater + measuring cup)

- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- Finely grate 1½ cup Pecorino Romano.
- Crack 1½ tsp black pepper.
- Place a heatproof measuring cup beside the stove for reserved pasta water.

## Make It

1. **COMBINE** the Parmesan, panko, egg, ¾ tsp pepper, ½ tsp salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl. **ADD** the ground chicken and **MIX** gently with your hands until thoroughly combined.
2. **ROLL** the chicken mixture into 24 small meatballs, using moistened hands so the mixture does not stick.
3. **ADD** ⅓ cup olive oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet. **ARRANGE** the meatballs in an even layer in the cold skillet, then **PLACE** over medium-high heat.
4. **COOK** the meatballs until well browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. **TURN** gently and **BROWN** on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes more. **TRANSFER** to a plate.
5. **ADD** the minced shallot to the fat left in the skillet and **COOK** over medium heat until softened, about 30 seconds. **STIR IN** the flour and **COOK** for 1 minute.
6. **SLOWLY WHISK** in 1 cup chicken broth. **STIR IN** capers, lemon slices, and lemon juice. **BRING** to a gentle simmer.
7. **RETURN** the meatballs and any accumulated juices to the skillet. **SIMMER** until the meatballs reach 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes, turning halfway through.
8. **MEANWHILE, COOK** the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. **RESERVE** at least 2 cups pasta water, then **DRAIN**.
9. **REMOVE** the piccata skillet from high heat. **WHISK IN** butter cubes one at a time until the sauce is glossy. **STIR IN** parsley and **KEEP** warm over very low heat.
10. **TOAST** the cracked black pepper briefly in a warm pasta pot or skillet, 30 to 60 seconds. **ADD** 1½ cups hot reserved pasta water and **BRING** to a simmer.
11. **ADD** the drained pasta and **TOSS** vigorously. **REMOVE** from direct heat, then **ADD** Pecorino gradually while tossing constantly until creamy and glossy, adding more pasta water as needed.
12. **PLATE** the cacio e pepe with the chicken piccata meatballs. **SPOON** lemon-caper sauce around the plate and **FINISH** with extra Pecorino, parsley, and cracked pepper.

**Tools:** Large bowl, microplane or fine grater, citrus juicer, chef’s knife, cutting board, 12-inch nonstick skillet, large pasta pot, colander, tongs, heatproof measuring cup, whisk, instant-read thermometer, small prep bowls.

## Make-A-Meal Plating

Two plating directions for the same meal: a generous Family Style pasta-bowl view and a more polished Restaurant Style presentation with the lemon-caper sauce placed intentionally around the pasta.

### Restaurant Style

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