Chicken Meat Balls – Four ways

Chicken Meat Balls – Four Ways

By Mehr Hassan

Shortcuts are friendly! Once I became a mother, I quickly learnt that make ahead meals were going to be my new best friend. This recipe became my go-to/permanent feature in my fridge-freezer for the following reasons;

1. It’s super simple.
2. With this recipe, you can make four different meals.
3. Quicker grocery runs and lighter shopping trolleys…. Yes please!

Here I use the same recipe for chicken meatballs as; finger food, chicken sliders, spaghetti meatballs and Asian style sweet-sour chicken, that even the pickiest of eaters find impossible to resist.

p.s. These can be cooked and frozen for up to a month.

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1. Chicken Meatball Recipe

• ½ clove garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 250g minced chicken
• 2 spring onions
• 1 carrot
• ½ medium grated apple
• 40g grated parmesan
• 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 50 g white breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp plain flour

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion, carrot and apple for 3 minutes, stirring until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Set aside, until cool.

Combine the mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan, spring onions, sauces and flour. Stir in the onion and apple mixture. Bind.

Shape into mini meatballs (or patties if making sliders). Give them a very light coating of flour.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken balls for 8-10 minutes, turning regularly to keep their shape, until light golden in colour and cooked through.

Serve with steamed vegetables.

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2. Asian style chicken

• 1 recipe of chicken meatball, defrosted
• ½ clove garlic, minced
• ½ red bell pepper, cut into strips
• ½  carrot, cut into matchsticks
• ¼ cup sweetcorn
• ½ cup steamed broccoli

Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tsp sugar
• 100 ml water
• 2 tsp cornflour

Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a small wok. Add the bell pepper, carrots and garlic. Stirfry over a medium flame, till the vegetables are soft. About 5 minutes.

Add the meatballs, and the remaining vegetables to the pan.

Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce.  Add to the pan.

Bring to a boil then simmer until thickened.

Serve with steamed or fried rice.

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3. Spaghetti & Meatballs

• 1 recipe of chicken meatball, defrosted
• 2 cups of marinara sauce
• 150 grams spaghetti

Boil the pasta according to the package instructions.

Warm the marinara sauce in a saucepan. When it begins to simmer add the meatballs. Cover and simmer for a few minutes till the meatballs are heated through.

Spoon over the cooked spaghetti. Serve warm.

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4. Chicken Sliders

• 1 recipe of chicken meatballs, shaped as burger patties, cooked.
• Burger Buns
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Avocado *optional
• Mayonnaise

Assemble burgers with your children’s favourite toppings.

If you are looking to freeze, let the meatballs cool completely. Place them on a tray lined with wax paper and place in the freezer.

Once they are frozen, place all of them into a ziploc bag.

To reheat remove as many pieces as you need. Defrost them on the counter and heat them in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of boiling water.