Recipe 101: Baked Chicken Meatballs - This simple to make recipe can be used at your next party or event as an appetizer or used to fill sliders. These Chicken Baked Meatballs are easy to make and will leave your guests talking and wanting more.
Serves 4, or more as appetizers or sliders
3Threeslices Italian bread, torn into small bits (1 cup)
1/3 cup milk
3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped (you can swap in Canadian Bacon if you can’t find pancetta)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large egg
1 pound ground chicken
2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided*
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.
- Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in one tablespoon oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes. (Alternately, as in “I thought of this after the fact”, I’d bet you could render the pancetta for a couple of minutes and cook the onions and garlic in that fat, rather than olive oil.) Cool slightly.
- Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley. Form 12 meatballs and arrange in another 4-sided sheet pan (I used a 9×13 roasting dish).
- Stir together remaining tablespoons of tomato paste and oil and brush over meatballs (the paste/oil does not mix in any cohesive manner, but just smoosh it on and run with it) , then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes (though mine took a good 5 minutes longer).
Also, See...
- Where to Find Meatless Restaurants in Philadelphia
- Mama's Meatballs Food Truck
- Philly's Top 3 Meatball Sandwiches
- Where to Get the Best Meatballs in Philly
