Best Italian Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken breast or ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs (gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs)
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon ground dried porcini mushrooms buy pre-ground or grind them yourself for optimal flavor
- For the Tomato Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounce can imported Italian San Marzano tomatoes , crushed or blended to a thick and slightly chunky puree
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all the meatball ingredients in a food processor or a large mixing bowl and combine. Form into 1-inch or larger meatballs. Heat the oil in a large skillet and lightly brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and saute for one minute. Add the tomato puree and bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes. Add the salt, parsley and basil and simmer for another 3-5 minutes.Return the meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat, cover and simmer over medium for about 15 minutes.Serve with pasta.*These meatballs freeze well (see note).
Notes
*There is no substitute for sun-ripened, DOP-certified Italian tomatoes. Using the standard tomatoes from grocery stores will result in a sauce that is bland and flavorless. The DOP San Marzano tomatoes are widely considered the best. You can also find them in specialty stores. If you can't find DOP-certified San Marzano's, use another quality Italian-imported brand.
*Either freeze the meatballs raw and make the sauce the day you're ready to eat them or freeze them cooked in the sauce. Place them single-layer in ziplock freezer bags. Thaw completely and slowly reheat them to retain moistness.
*Either freeze the meatballs raw and make the sauce the day you're ready to eat them or freeze them cooked in the sauce. Place them single-layer in ziplock freezer bags. Thaw completely and slowly reheat them to retain moistness.
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