Cheesy Chicken Meatballs
Classic family food at it's best and really comforting too; I love chicken mince to make these as the end result is so much lighter than if using beef mince. You can serve these meatballs either as finger foods, straight up (which toddlers and adults love), or bake them with tinned plum tomatoes for a meatball and tomato sauce: absolutely delicious with buttered spaghetti.
Makes 20-22 meatballs (using a tablespoon as a meatball measure)
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)
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 you can either:
Transfer to a lined baking tray and cook in the oven for 25 mins or until completely cooked through.
Or, take x2 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
