Braised Chicken Puttanesca Meatballs with Pasta
Perfect, succulent chicken Puttanesca meatballs filled with everything Puttanesca—salty anchovies, olives, capers, and garlic—all in tender ground chicken meatballs that are braised in a simple tomato sauce and served over pasta. This is a hearty meal you’ll never say no to.
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Meatballs are a perennial favorite because they’re comforting and not too difficult to make and the flavors are endless. My classic spaghetti and meatballs is one of my most popular recipes. Simply put, everyone loves meatballs. End of story.
So let’s talk about what makes these meatballs sing. These flavorful beauties are popping with all the briny, tangy flavors of Italian pasta Puttanesca, the classic dish from Naples. We’re talking BOLD, courageous chicken meatballs with anchovy fillets, olives, briny capers, red pepper flakes, and more.
Even if you think you don’t like anchovies, you are going to be blown away by this dish. My kids absolutely love these meatballs (I forgot to tell them there were anchovies in there but they never suspected a thing).
You can serve them over pasta, like we do here, or on their own with some good crusty bread. Other options would be cheesy polenta, risotto, steamed brown rice or even mashed potatoes.
Why Are These Our Favorite Chicken Meatballs?
They’re a meatball lover’s dream with a tender, juicy chicken meatballs in a silky tomato sauce.
These meatballs stand out from the rest because they’re:
- Nourishing and moist, not dense
- Bold flavors makes this a family favorite
- Even better the next day so great to make-ahead
- Made from pantry ingredients
- Browned for crisp edges then braised in tomato sauce, very similar to my popular marinara sauce
When I first tested this recipe I was worried they’d be too salty with all the capers and anchovies and olives but once combined with the sauce and the pasta they were perfect!
How To Make Chicken Puttanesca Meatballs
Like any good meatball recipe, there are a few steps. None of them are difficult, but they can eat up some time, making it the perfect thing for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
- Chop the bread and other meatball ingredients: A food processor is going to be your friend here. If you don’t have one, you can chop it all by hand but it will take a bit longer. You want everything to be a fine mince.
- Form the meatballs: Mix everything together in a large bowl then form into balls with wet hands.
- Brown the meatballs: It takes a bit longer but the best meatballs are fried in olive oil until golden brown before being braised in the sauce. Place them on a baking sheet after browning.
- Make the sauce: Use the same pot to cook the tomato sauce, all those meaty bits will flavor the sauce.
- Cook the pasta: Boil in generously salted water over medium-high heat until al dente.
- Serve: Toss the meatballs, flavorful sauce, baby kale, and fresh parsley or fresh basil with the pasta. Taste and add more kosher salt or other fresh herbs if you’d like. Parmesan cheese isn’t typically served with Puttanesca but you can sprinkle some over your plate if you’d like. I won’t tell.
FAQ’s
What kind of olives should I use? If you have a favorite olive, use those. I’ve seen recipes with black olives, green olives, Kalamata olives, I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule on what type it should be. I personally love Castelvetrano olives.
Can I use regular breadcrumbs? Store-bought breadcrumbs make for a denser meatball that’s why I always prefer to make fresh breadcrumbs. Yes, it’s an extra step, but well worth it.
How do I freeze these meatballs? If you want to make this dish ahead, the meatballs in the sauce will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. After that, transfer it to the freezer and store for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove or microwave. Store any cooked pasta separately.
What To Serve With This Chicken Puttanesca Recipe:
A simple side salad with our favorite mustard-maple dressing or simply lemon juice and olive oil and some homemade focaccia or whole wheat olive bread would be lovely. Other sides that would go well with this dish are:
- Tomato Basil Salad
- Roasted Beet Salad with Cracked Olives
- Blanched Broccoli with Garlic
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Kale Salad with Tahini-Maple Dressing
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino & Black Pepper
- Broccolini with Red Onions
Favorite Italian Recipes
- Italian Salsa Verde (so easy!)
- Roasted Delicata Squash Pizza with Burrata
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers with Pesto
- Tomato, Basil, & Olive Bruschetta
- Spicy Zinfandel Spaghetti & One-Pot Pasta with Sausage and Tomatoes
Braised Chicken Puttanesca Meatballs with Pasta
Equipment
- 1 3-4 quart braiser or Dutch oven
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 cup cubed stale baguette, you can leave the crusts on
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 whole oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 sprig fresh oregano
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ounces baby kale, about 3 cups (I love the Power Greens mix)
For the sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
For the pasta:
- 1 pound pasta
- kosher salt, for the pasta water
- grated parmesan, optional
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- Place bread cubes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until the bread is in crumbs. Pour the breadcrumbs into a large mixing bowl and toss with the beaten egg until evenly moistened.
- Wipe out the food processor bowl then add the garlic, anchovy fillets, olives, capers, salt, red pepper flakes, and the leaves from the sprig of oregano. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not a paste. Add to the bowl with the bread mixture.
- Add the ground chicken and gently mix with your hands until everything is well incorporated.
- Roll one small tester meatball. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (3-4 quart) shallow braising pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook tester meatball until it is browned on all sides and cooked through. Taste the meatball. Is it perfect? The meatballs will taste salty but when combined with the sauce and the pasta will be just right. If you'd like them spicier, add more red pepper flakes.
- Gather mixture into round balls, about 3 inches in diameter, and place on a baking sheet. I like to make 8 large meatballs (2 per person). Make smaller or larger meatballs if you prefer.
- Return the pot that you cooked the tester meatball in to medium heat and add meatballs in batches if necessary, being careful not to crowd. Cook meatballs turning frequently until browned on all sides. You don't need to cook them all the way through at this point they will finish cooking in the sauce, just make sure they are nice and browned. Remove the meatballs to a clean bowl as they finish cooking and continue with the next batch until all meatballs are browned. Set aside while you make the sauce.
For the sauce:
- Add the 3 cloves chopped garlic and the teaspoon salt to the pot you just cooked the meatballs in. Cook, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, don't brown.
- Add the can of tomatoes. Fill the can halfway with water, swirl to get all the tomato bits and pour into the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer then add the meatballs and all the juices that have collected at the bottom of the bowl.
- Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly and meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the kale and cook, just until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
For serving:
- While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain. Return to pot. Pour meatballs, kale and sauce over pasta. Add the parsley and grated parmesan, if using. Gently toss to combine.
Notes
- Food processor: If you don’t have a food processor, you can cut the bread and other ingredients with a knife into very small pieces.
- Salt level: The meatballs will seem salty. The anchovies, capers, and olives all are salty but when mixed with the sauce and the pasta they will be just perfect.
- Meatball size: I like to make 8 large meatballs (2 per person) but make them smaller or larger as you’d like. You can use a cookie scoop to make the smaller ones all the same size.
- Make-ahead: The meatballs will keep well in the sauce, covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep the meatballs and sauce separate from the pasta to prevent the pasta getting soggy.
