6.25.2013

Italian Chicken Meatballs Recipe {or a quick and yummy dinner}


I love to cook. But I also am pressed for time. So I love recipes that do double duty {hehe...I said duty. Sounds like dooty. Yes, my humor is as sophisticated as a 12 year old boy's.} or that freeze beautifully. This delicious Italian Chicken Meatball Recipe comes together quickly, freezes like a dream, is a healthier alternative to traditional meatballs, and is tasty to boot!


These meatballs use ground chicken. You could also use ground turkey or even ground beef. I HIGHLY prefer ground chicken to turkey. Ground chicken is moist, and has a more mellow flavor. Ground chicken is also easy to find these days. I picked mine up at Target! Also, these little gems are baked. Frying them in the pan is an option. But to me, baking them is fool-proof. Its so much easier and healthier {no oil}.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan
1 tbsp. basil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes {or more to taste}
1 egg


All all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together with your hand.


Shape into balls and place on a greased baking sheet or a silicone baking mat. {I like to use my silicone baking mat so the cheese that oozes out gets all crispy and yummy.} One pound of ground chicken will get you 12 golf ball sized meatballs.


Bake in an oven pre-heated to 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. You can either split one open to make sure its cooked through or use a meat thermometer to check that its at an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.


If I really have things together, I like to bake these guys during nap time. Then, I throw the meatballs I want to use that night for dinner into a pan with spaghetti sauce {jarred...shhh don't tell}. Then, I simmer them on low until dinner time. If I don't have it together, I just throw them on the plate straight from the oven. They still taste great.


To freeze these guys let them cool on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then wrap them up in tin foil and store in a freezer bag. When I'm looking to use them {meatball subs anyone?}, I let them defrost in the fridge. You can throw them in the sauce to warm up/simmer.


What's your favorite recipe that you freeze? I'm always on a look out for a good recipe that I can freeze leftovers!
 

5 comments:

  1. One of my favorite freezer meals takes a ton of prep initially, but is easy to make from the freezer. I make a lot of home made "take out fake out" Chinese recipes, so I make ahead and freeze some Baked Pork Spring rolls. I bake all 25 or 50 that I make at a time, just bake the ones I am going to freeze less.

    It's basically this recipe with some modifications.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-pork-spring-rolls/

    ReplyDelete
  2. we've been using turkey for a while, but just recently I made chicken, and you are right, they are MUCH tastier! thanks for linking up to wake up wednesdays

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love ground chicken burgers too! I think is just such a better flavor thank ground turkey. Them, I'm the girl who doesn't like turkey on thanksgiving so I might be a bit biased!

      Delete
  3. I love baking meatballs!! I have only used turkey in the past, but I will have to give it a try with chicken! Thanks for linking up at Wake Up Wednesdays!

    ReplyDelete