Best Chicken Meatballs With Spinach And Roasted Garlic Recipes

Herbed Chicken and Spinach Meatballs image

Provided by David Tanis

Time 45m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 pound spinach, washed
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch of ground cayenne
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 serrano chile, with seeds, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup soft fresh bread crumbs, from about 4 slices of crustless sandwich bread
1/2 cup heavy cream, half-and-half or milk
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
Lime or lemon wedges, for serving

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.

Chicken Meatballs With Spinach and Roasted Garlic image

Provided by The Miserable Gourm

Categories Chicken

Time 35m

Yield 30 meatballs

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 head garlic, roasted
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped fine
1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 lb ground chicken
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Steps:

Roast garlic by slicing off the top of the head and coating with 1T olive oil.
Wrap in foil, place on cookie sheet and bake 40 minuted until soft.
Let cool and then squeeze the garlic out of each clove an into a large mixing bowl.
In the same bowl, add chopped spinach, cheeses, lemon, olive oil, egg, salt and pepper.
Gently mix in chicken and breadcrumbs until well combined.
Chill mixture for approx 30 minutes. It will make it easier to scoop.
Using an ice cream scoop, or similar device, scoop balls onto a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for approx 20 minutes or until golden brown.