Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Parmesan Orzo
Cozy, Creamy, and Seriously Flavorful
Let’s be honest — some dinners just feel like a hug in a bowl. This one? A full-on bear hug. Juicy baked chicken meatballs made with fresh sage and sourdough, sitting on top of the creamiest, dreamiest parmesan orzo. It’s cozy, fancy-adjacent, and comes together in under an hour.
Basically, it’s the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table go quiet for a second because they’re too busy saying “oh my gosh” with their mouths full.
Let’s Talk About Those Meatballs 🥹
These chicken meatballs are so flavorful, you might forget they’re even made with chicken. The secret? Sourdough bread soaked in warm water. It gives the meatballs this soft, juicy texture — no dry chicken here. Then you’ve got butter, fresh garlic, and sage (which instantly makes your kitchen smell like a fancy restaurant).
A little parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and a pinch of red pepper flake tie it all together. They bake up golden and crisp on the outside but stay tender and herby on the inside. Bonus: baking them means you can skip the stovetop babysitting situation.
The Creamy Parmesan Orzo (aka what you’ll want to eat straight from the pan)
If risotto and mac & cheese had a love child, it would be this orzo. It’s buttery, cheesy, and silky — but way easier than it looks. The sage gets crisped in butter (don’t skip this part, it’s the best little garnish ever), and the orzo cooks right in the same pan with white wine, thyme, and chicken stock.
Then comes the good stuff — heavy cream, spinach, and parmesan — all simmered together until it’s rich and velvety. It’s fancy enough for date night, but honestly, I’d eat this in sweatpants while watching The Office reruns.
A Few Tips Before You Start
- Use sourdough, not regular bread. It adds just the right tang and texture to the meatballs.
- Crisp the sage. It’s not optional — crispy sage on top makes the whole dish pop.
- Don’t rush the orzo. Stir it often while it cooks; it’s what makes the texture perfectly creamy without turning mushy.
- Wine tip: If you don’t have white wine, use extra chicken stock — but the wine adds that restaurant-style flavor boost.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s cozy, flavorful, and totally doable on a weeknight. The flavors hit that perfect balance of earthy sage, creamy parmesan, and garlicky goodness — comfort food, but with an elegant twist.
Make it once and it’ll be in your regular dinner rotation before you know it. Plus, it reheats beautifully (if you somehow manage to have leftovers).
🍗 Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Parmesan Orzo
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs:
- 2 oz fresh sourdough bread diced small
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 yellow onion minced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1-1.5 lbs ground chicken thigh
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated or freshly shredded
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
Creamy Parmesan Orzo
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 yellow onion minced
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 small handful fresh thyme sprigs tied with kitchen twine
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 oz fresh spinach about 2 cups *optional*
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Meatballs:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly oil it.
- Soak Bread: Place diced sourdough in a mixing bowl and pour warm water over the top. Let it soak for at least 5 minutes until soft.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, then add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in granulated garlic and red pepper, then remove from heat. (work quickly! don’t let it burn!)
- Mix & Form Meatballs: Add the ground chicken, parmesan, parsley, salt, and onion/garlic mixture to the bowl with the bread. Mix until evenly combined, then form into about 15 meatballs (around 2 oz each).
- Bake: Arrange meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and bake on the top rack for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Orzo:
- Wipe out the skillet and set over medium heat. Melt butter.
- Sauté + Toast: Add onion to the butter with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened. Stir in orzo and cook for another minute.
- Deglaze: Pour in white wine and add the thyme bundle. Simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Cook Orzo: Stir in chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook about 6 minutes, stirring often, until most of the liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender.
- Finish Creamy Sauce: Add heavy cream, spinach, and parmesan. Stir continuously until spinach wilts and the sauce is thick and creamy. Remove thyme sprigs and season with salt + pepper.
- Serve: Spoon orzo into bowls, top with baked chicken meatballs, and garnish with crispy sage, extra parmesan, and fresh parsley or thyme.
