Best chicken meatballs in tomato sauce.
Delicious gluten-free chicken meatballs in tomato sauce that your whole family will love. A great alternative to a takeaway dinner.
Servings: 20 meatballs
Calories: 77kcal
Ingredients
Make the meatballs
- 500 grams Ground chicken or chicken mince I always use chicken thigh mince because it results in juicier meatballs.
- 1/2 Brown onion Any onion will work very finely chopped or grated. If your food processor can handle a small amount like this, use it to chop your onion very small.
- 1/2 cup Cooked rice I used basmati rice
- 1 A handful of baby spinach finely chopped
- 1 egg
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
For the tomato sauce:
- ½ Brown onion finely diced
- ½ liter Passata plain Italian tomato sauce
- ¼ cup Chicken or vegetable stock or broth
- 1 teaspoon Maple syrup to balance the acidity of the tomato sauce.
- Salt and pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, cooked rice, finely chopped spinach, egg, salt, and pepper.
- Use your hands to mix the ingredients to ensure that everything is well combined
- Take a small amount of the meatball mixture, approximately 1 cookie scoop, and shape small balls rolling the meat between your palms. If the mixture is sticking to your hand, wet your hands with a little bit of olive oil or some water.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a large plate.
Fry the meatballs
- Heat some olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Fry meatballs for 3-4 minutes on each side until crisp and golden; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the tomato sauce
- In the same frying pan (without washing), add a little olive oil and sauté finely diced onions and pressed garlic over low heat for 10-15 minutes until onions are soft and sweet.
- Add passata, maple syrup, and chicken stock to the pan; bring to a gentle boil and cook on low heat for 5 minutes before adding meatballs.
Cook the meatballs in the sauce
- Place fried chicken meatballs into the simmering sauce.
- Cover the pan with a lid, and let the meatballs simmer in the tomato sauce for 20 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
Serve
- While meatballs simmer, cook spaghetti.
- Serve the chicken meatballs over a bed of freshly cooked spaghetti. Ladle the rich tomato sauce generously over the meatballs and pasta.
- Finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese for an authentic Italian touch.
Notes
If you have time, refrigerate the chicken mixture before you roll the meatballs. It will help to keep them in the ball shape.
Small meatballs are cooked in 20 minutes, but cooking time will depend on the size of the meatballs. So if you would like to ensure they are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check their internal temperature. The meatballs should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), indicating they are thoroughly cooked and safe to eat.
You can cook uncooked meatballs in sauce without browning them first. Simply increase the cooking time by 10 minutes.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce:
- Refrigerate: Transfer leftover meatballs and sauce into an airtight container. Refrigerate promptly to keep them fresh for up to three days.
- Freeze: Place meatballs and sauce in a freezer-safe container, ensuring a tight seal to maintain flavors for up to two to three months.
- Thaw: Move frozen meatballs to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, allowing flavors to reawaken naturally.
- Reheat: Warm meatballs and sauce gently in a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce thickens too much.
Nutrition
Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
