Amazingly Quick and Good Chicken Balls ๐
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Description:
This delightful recipe, featured in Judy Montagu’s recent cooking column, offers a swift and flavorsome option for a family dinner. With its combination of aromatic herbs and spices, paired with tender chicken, it promises to be a hit at any mealtime gathering.
Ingredients:
- 500g chicken or turkey
- 1 egg
- 1 onion
- 1 can (approximately 400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- Bread crumbs (enough to bind)
Instructions:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare Tomato Mixture: In a medium-sized pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and sautรฉ until translucent. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, oregano, and marjoram. Let it simmer for a few minutes, covered. |
| 2 | Mix Chicken Mixture: While the tomato mixture is simmering, in a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the ground chicken or turkey with the egg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix well until thoroughly combined. |
| 3 | Incorporate Bread Crumbs: Gradually add bread crumbs to the chicken mixture, stirring until it reaches a firm consistency that can be easily shaped into balls. Ensure all ingredients are well incorporated. |
| 4 | Form Chicken Balls: With clean hands, shape the mixture into ping-pong sized balls. |
| 5 | Cook Chicken Balls: Gently drop the formed chicken balls into the simmering tomato mixture. Cover the pot and let it cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. |
| 6 | Serve: Once the chicken balls are cooked through and the flavors have infused, serve them hot over your choice of pasta, rice, or couscous. |
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 296.4
- Fat: 9.9g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Cholesterol: 146.6mg
- Sodium: 550.5mg
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 3.6g
- Sugar: 9.2g
- Protein: 34.8g
Recipe Notes:
- For a healthier option, use lean ground chicken breast.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices to customize the flavor to your liking.
- These chicken balls can also be served as appetizers or packed into lunchboxes for a tasty on-the-go meal option.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer preservation. Just reheat gently before serving.
