Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly oil it. Place the diced bread in a large bowl, pour the warm water over it, and let it soak for at least 5 minutes, keeping the bread submerged.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the granulated garlic and crushed red pepper, then turn off the heat. Add the ground chicken, Parmesan, sage, parsley, salt, and shallot mixture to the soaked bread. Mix until combined, then form into about 15 tightly packed meatballs, roughly 2 ounces each. Arrange them on the prepared sheet pan and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Bake on the oven’s top rack for 25–30 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Ground chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, then add the sage leaves. Cook until crisp as the butter begins to brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sage to a paper towel.

Add the sliced shallot to the sage butter, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the orzo, pour in the white wine, and add the thyme bundle. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring it back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender.

Stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and Parmesan. Simmer while stirring continuously until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts. Season with salt to taste and remove the thyme sprigs. Serve the meatballs over the orzo, topped with crispy sage, freshly cracked black pepper, additional Parmesan, and extra parsley or thyme if desired.