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4.25 from 4 votes

Spinach & Artichoke Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Garlic Sauce

Your favorite dip turned into protein packed Spinach & Artichoke Chicken meatballs, topped with a lemon garlic sauce that is creamy, dairy-free, and paleo!
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword Spinach & Artichoke Chicken Meatballs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 5 -6 servings
Author Kelly

Ingredients

Spinach & Artichoke Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups packed spinach, chopped
  • 2 cups frozen artichokes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken thighs
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Lemon Garlic Sauce

  • 1/2 cup cashews, soaked*
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 head roasted garlic**
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Make the sauce. Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a high powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  • Place a medium-sized sautée pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onions and sauté for 5 mins until soft and translucent. Add spinach, minced garlic, and artichokes and cook for another 5 minutes, until combined and spinach is cooked down. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
  • While mixture is cooling, heat up a large cast iron skillet. Add spinach and artichoke mixture to a bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well and form into into 1 inch sized balls (about 24 meatballs).
  • Place in the cast iron and cook for 20 minutes, rotating frequently to evenly brown, until firm to the touch and no pink remains. I did this in two batches to make sure they were not overcrowded.
  • Serve with lemon garlic sauce on top of your favorite pasta or salad. Enjoy!

Notes

*Place cashews in a bowl. Cover with water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight (30 minutes if you are in a pinch).
**I roasted my garlic ahead of time. To roast garlic, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the outer layers of the garlic skin off leaving the cloves still attached and chop off the top of the bulb. Place in aluminum foil and drizzle ½ teaspoon olive oil over the exposed surface of the garlic, letting the oil sink down into the cloves. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.