Hailey Bieber's High-Protein Italian Dinner Will Never Leave My Weekly Rotation - Dining and Cooking

Kitchn and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Ever since Justin Bieber released the song “Go Baby,” with the lyrics, “That’s my baby, she’s iconic; iPhone case, lip gloss on it,” I can’t help but mentally sing it when I think about Hailey Bieber. She is iconic, and she is very good at starting a trend. While you might think her makeup brand Rhode’s aforementioned lip gloss phone case is her most recent trend, she’s also been making waves in the kitchen.

She recently posted a photo on her Instagram story, stating the following: “I’m sorry but my chicken meatballs with tomato sauce, cottage cheese, and Parmesan is seriously to die for and one of the favorite things I make.” I (along with half of the internet) just had to try them for myself. She ended up posting her recipe for them later, and I made them to find out if you should, too.

How to Make Hailey Bieber’s Chicken Meatballs

Make the meatballs. In a follow-up Instagram story Bieber posted, she said that she eyeballs all of her measurements. In a bowl, combine ground chicken, Italian seasoning, ricotta cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, gluten-free Italian breadcrumbs, and one egg. Roll the mixture into balls.

Cook the meatballs. Once you form the meatballs, add them to a pan with a little oil and cook until crispy on the outside. Cover with tomato sauce of your choice and let the meatballs finish cooking.

Plate the dish. Add the meatballs to a plate and spoon any extra tomato sauce on top. Then, dollop a scoop of cottage cheese on top and grate some Parmesan cheese over it all as well.

My Honest Review of Hailey Bieber’s Chicken Meatballs

I have never met a meatball that I haven’t enjoyed, and Mrs. Bieber’s chicken meatballs were no exception. The meatballs themselves were super simple, but still delicious. I know there were a lot of comments online about how basic this recipe was, but sometimes we all need a touch of simplicity in our meal plans.

I find that ground chicken can get dry in recipes because it’s very lean, so adding in the ricotta cheese was smart because it kept the meatballs super-moist (even when reheating). I also loved cooking the meatballs in a pan so the bottom and sides get crispy. I normally cook my meatballs in the oven, but getting them crispy in the pan before finishing them in the sauce adds a great texture. And any excuse to use a jar of tomato sauce that’s packed with slow-simmered flavor without me doing a lot of work is also a win in my book.

Adding garlic powder and Italian seasoning to dress the meatballs up was very smart, but I would also add red pepper flakes for some heat the next time I make this recipe. The real reason I was so interested in this dish was because I was curious about Hailey’s choice to top the meatballs with cottage cheese. It was actually so delicious: When the cottage cheese combined with the warm tomato sauce, it reminded me of a rich lasagna filled with ricotta. Meanwhile, you’re getting a lot more protein in. I don’t know why I haven’t used cottage cheese in more Italian dishes before this. I will be making these again.

Tips for Making Hailey Bieber’s Chicken Meatballs

Blend your cottage cheese. If you have a problem with the texture of cottage cheese, I would suggest blending your cottage cheese (or even buying a pre-blended tub) so it’s super-smooth like ricotta.

Skip the sauce. Bieber says that she also loves to eat these meatballs without the tomato sauce and only topped with fresh Parm and cottage cheese. I don’t know if I will be trying that out because I love a red sauce, but it’s always another option.