Chicken Spinach Meatballs Recipes

BAKED CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Beat the egg in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Finely chop the spinach so that it is in small bits, then add it to the bowl.
• With a fork or your hands, mix until well combined, being careful not to compact the meat.
• Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs and arrange them in the prepared baking dish, 1-inch apart, so they do not touch.
• Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste in a small bowl. It won't be perfectly smooth but will bake up just fine. Brush over the top of the meatballs.
• Bake the meatballs in the upper third of the oven for 18 to 22 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot with pasta, zucchini noodles, inside a hoagie bun, or any way you choose!

CHICKEN FLORENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls., Place meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 15-18 minutes or until tender., For sauce, in a large nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms in oil until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add meatballs and heat through., When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. Serve with meatballs and sauce. Freeze option: Place individual portions of cooled meatballs and squash in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, gently stirring and adding a little water if necessary.

HERBED CHICKEN AND SPINACH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Blanch the spinach: Plunge leaves a handful at a time into a pot of boiling water. Leave just long enough to wilt, about 30 seconds, then drain in a colander and cool under running water. Remove and squeeze wilted leaves into a ball. Using a large knife, roughly chop spinach on a cutting board - you should have about 2 cups. Squeeze into a ball again to remove excess water. (This may be done several hours or up to a day in advance and refrigerated.)
• In a large bowl, put chicken, salt, pepper, lemon zest, cayenne, nutmeg, fennel seeds, cinnamon, spinach, cilantro, chile, egg, bread crumbs and cream. Using your clean hands, knead everything together, mixing well. Leave to absorb seasoning for 15 minutes or overnight.
• Test for seasoning: Take a small amount and flatten into a thin patty. Quickly cook in a small skillet, about 1 minute per side. Taste, then adjust the mixture's seasoning if necessary.
• Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, form 24 rough balls and place on a baking sheet. (The mixture will be soft.) Lightly sprinkle the balls with a very small amount of flour.
• Set a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to a depth of 1/4 inch. When oil is wavy, use a spoon to help slip in balls into skillet. Gently fry the balls without crowding. Adjust heat as necessary (high heat will make them tough.) Cook for about 4 minutes per side; they should be golden brown, not too dark. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.

LEMONY CHICKEN-FETA MEATBALL SOUP WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, add the chicken, feta, 1/4 cup oats, the grated onion, most of the dill (reserve about 2 tablespoons for garnish), the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball, about 1 1/2 inches. (You will have approximately 25 balls.)
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium until shimmering. Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon turmeric and the red-pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the onions to the sides as best you can, then add the meatballs. (They will be close together, and that's OK.) Cook until browned on two sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.
• Pour in the broth and remaining ½ cup oats, then gently tilt the pot to the right and left to distribute the oats and broth without disturbing the meatballs. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Season with salt. Cook, gently stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until the oats have softened and the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes more.
• Stir in the spinach and lemon juice until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon into bowls, top with pepper and the remaining dill. Serve with lemon wedges.