Meatballs are the classic Italian meat dish, and these chicken meatballs with mushrooms keep up with the promise for a quick, easy and delicious Italian meal, suitable for the fall season.

I must confess that this recipe has been adapted from one of my “clean up the fridge” experiments I made the last summer using chicken mince, zucchini and mozzarella. I adjusted my summer version to a more seasonal one, adding some cream to make it a bit richer.

Why you will love this recipe

– It is easy to make and requires only 1 bowl and 1 chopping board

– It is freezable

– You can easily create your version, substituting few ingredients

– Your kids will love it as it is tasty and fun

– This recipe is relatively healthy and low-carb.

How to make chicken meatballs with Mushrooms

To make these succulent Italian chicken meatballs, you will need the following ingredients:

Meat: this time, the choice is chicken; since it is lean and low-fat is ideal for a healthy weeknight dinner.

Mushrooms: I used button mushrooms, widely available. You will need a part thinly sliced, and a part chopped.

Cheese: I opted for smoked scamorza and Parmesan.

Herbs & Garlic Parsley goes well with this dish, and in general, I like using parsley in meatballs recipes. Same it is for garlic, all Italians LOVE it!

Spices: keep it simple, just with salt and pepper.

Breadcrumbs are one of these pantry items that you might have handy, and they bind together the mix incredibly well.

Place the minced chicken, chopped mushrooms, salt, pepper, parsley, grated scamorza, grated Parmesan, and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Mix the ingredients until combined. Start by rolling a scoop of the mixture into a ball of 2 inches diameter. Place each ball on a chopping board. At this point you can cook the meatballs or you can store them in the refrigerator, covered with cling wrap for 12 to 24 hours, until you are ready to cook them.

When you cook the meatballs, heat some olive oil in a cooking pan. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms, cooking them for 5 minutes. At this point, add the meatballs and cook them on low-to-medium heat until entirely done around 10-12 minutes. Add some cream and keep on cooking for 2 more minutes. Switch off the oven, plate the meatballs on a plate, and sprinkle some parsley on top.

You will obtain around 16 meatballs, a portion yields 4 to 5 meatballs.

Chicken Meatballs with mushroom variations and substitutions

This chicken meatballs recipe is suitable for meat-lovers and for those who are on a low calories diet. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can sub the breadcrumbs with flaxseeds or gluten-free breadcrumbs.

In terms of substitutions, you can use provolone cheese instead of scamorza.

You can use chicken and veal in terms of variations, or you can make the meatballs using veal mince. Of course, you can also consider beef, the taste though, would be less delicate. If you do not like button mushrooms, you can use portobello or dried porcini mushrooms.

If you look for other meatballs recipe, check my Easy Italian Meatballs.

Looking for more chicken recipes? Italian Chicken Cacciatora or Chicken Parmesan are both mouthwatering recipes to try.

How to serve Chicken Meatballs with Mushrooms

I recommend serving this dish as a main, accompanied by some crispy oven-roasted potatoes. Another more decadent alternative would be to make pappardelle from scratch and serve the meatballs over them.

Storing suggestions

You can freeze the meatballs in a zip-lock bag for 6 weeks. Thaw them over-night in the refrigerator and reheat them in a pan, adding 1 tablespoon of EVOO.

Which wine to pairing with Chicken Meatballs with Mushrooms

The perfect wine pairing for this dish would work a Pinot Noir from the Friuli region. Its mushroom note will complement well the flavors of the chicken meatballs with mushrooms.

Another more robust red wine is a Cabernet Franc from the Veneto region, a full-bodied and intense red wine.