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chicken meatballs with cheesy spinach pappardelle with fresh cracked pepper on top
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Chicken Meatballs with Cheesy Spinach Pappardelle

These baked chicken meatballs are perfect for any pasta dish, but especially for this cheesy spinach pappardelle!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: baked chicken, cheesy pasta, chicken, chicken recipe, ground chicken, pasta dinner, pasta dish, spinach
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 713kcal

Ingredients

For the Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

For the Cheesy Spinach Pappardelle

  • 8 oz. pappardelle
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups spinach loosely packed
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup shaved parmesan

Instructions

For the Chicken Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Spray down a sheet pan or casserole dish with cooking spray.
  • Add the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Mix together with clean hands.
  • Scoop and roll 1-inch meatballs, placing them evenly on the sheet pan.
  • Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

For the Cheesy Spinach Pappardelle

  • While the meatballs are baking, bring a large pot of water to boil. Sprinkle in some salt, then cook the pappardelle pasta. Drain.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat up the olive oil in a large skillet. 
  • Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the spinach, cook until the spinach has visibly wilted—about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the spinach and garlic from heat into a bowl.
  • In that same skillet, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until combined.
  • Slowly pour in the milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking as you do so. This should create a nice white roux.
  • Sprinkle in the shaved parmesan, and mix together with a rubber spatula. Turn off the heat.
  • Add in the spinach and garlic, as well as the cooked pappardelle. Stir to combine.
  • Using tongs, separate the cheesy spinach pasta into four large bowls. Divide the chicken meatballs into four and place them on top.
  • Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper if desired, and serve immediately.