Cheesy Chicken Meatballs
Classic family food at it's best and really comforting too these chicken meatballs are a family favourite. The chicken mince makes these meatballs lighter than beef mince meatballs. They are good to eat as they are with mashed potato, or my children also like to eat them served them with spaghetti and tomato sauce. I have outlined both methods below.
ingredients
Recipe makes 20 meatballs (using a tablespoon per meatball)
500g free-range chicken mince
1 onion, gently fry in olive until soft (5-8 mins)
60g Parmesan, finely grated (optional)
100g breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, peeled & crushed
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
x2 400g tinned organic plum tomatoes (optional)
method
Preheat the oven to 180C fan oven. Combine all the meat ball ingredients in a bowl: chicken mince, cooked onion (cooled), finely grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, crushed garlic, beaten egg and herbs. Then shape into meatballs, using a tablespoon, this will give you evenly sized meatballs which is important for cooking them evenly. Cook in a pan with a splash of oil: browning lightly on each side (2-3 mins per side). Then transfer to a lined baking tray and cook in the oven for 25 mins or until completely cooked through.
with spaghetti and tomato sauce
Take 2 tins of plum tomatoes empty into an oven proof dish, top with the meatballs and bake for 30mins in the oven: until bubbling and cooked through