Mini Chicken Meatballs
Meatballs are one of those foods that warm the belly when it is cold and dark outside. Meatballs are comfort food and now is the season. You might be thinking, do I really need another meatball recipe? Yes, —because these are meatballs with a twist!
Firstly, the main ingredient is ground chicken, but hear me out. Until I found this recipe, I was not a fan of chicken meatballs because they are usually dry, tasteless, and crumbly. That is because the main ingredient in most meatball recipes is beef, or a combination of beef, pork, veal, or sometimes lamb, which all contain more fat than chicken; that fat holds the ball together and of course also adds flavor as well as a less crumbly texture. Here the added ingredient that makes these meatballs taste so good is pancetta, which adds a lot of flavor without much fat.
Then there are the bitter greens. This is also the season for bitter greens and if you haven’t tried them before (and there are many different ones to choose from—lucky us in northern California), I really encourage you to give them a try. They are good for you; some varieties are better cooked, some not. I love frisée along with Belgian endive and Fuyu persimmons in a salad. Escarole is another bitter green that is great sautéed with a bit of garlic, oil; just before serving, sprinkle it with some lemon juice. You must wash escarole well, but it is well worth the effort, and it only takes a few minutes to cook. Tossed with pasta along with these meatballs, escarole adds another layer of flavor that makes your pasta and meatballs extra special.
These meatballs are workhorses. You could top a pizza with a few of them, and they are delicious in a brothy soup. I usually make a pasta dish the first night and then freeze the rest for another night. They are good in the freezer for 2 months. You can throw them into a pot of broth or top them on a pizza. Lastly, these meatballs are also baked on parchment lined baking sheets, making cleanup easier.
Chicken Meatballs with Escarole and Rigatoni
Adapted from Gourmet
Makes 2 dozen meatballs, half for this pasta recipe (2-3 servings) the other 12 for another dish—see above.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup finely diced yellow onion
3 oz. pancetta, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb ground chicken
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons of flat-leafed parsley finely chopped
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
½ pound of rigatoni or any other tubular pasta
½ head of escarole, washed and chopped but not dried
Parmigiano Reggiano to grate over the pasta
Directions:
Preheat oven 400°
To make the meatballs, put the olive oil, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and pancetta in a sauté pan over medium low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions soften. Take the pan off the heat and let cool slightly. Don’t wash the pan—you will use it later for the escarole.
In a large mixing bowl add the chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, milk and combine. Add the slightly cooled onion mixture into the bowl and toss to combine evenly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll the meatballs into small balls about the size of walnuts. Mix the tomato paste with a tablespoon of water and brush the mixture on top of the meatballs. Bake in a preheated oven for 18 minutes.
While the meatballs are cooking, fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil, add pasta. Cook according to package, about 11 minutes till al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, toss the remaining clove of minced garlic into the sauté pan over medium heat. Stir for 20 seconds then toss in the escarole and using tongs, turn the wet leaves to cover them with garlic. Shake the pan and when the escarole starts to wilt, turn off heat.
When the pasta is cooked, drain and turn into a big bowl. Add the escarole, and about 12 meatballs. Dust with parmigiana and serve.