I was inspired to make these after reading a basic chicken meatball recipe in The Whole30 cookbook.  With most recipes I make (baking aside), I read a recipe and use the ingredients and cooking method as a starting point but ten times out of ten I end up adding something, usually to use up some ingredient I have in the fridge.  This day I happen to have cilantro and a Fresno pepper so Mexican won, but these tasty meatballs could easily be turned Italian with basil or parsley, sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese or Greek with oregano, feta and olive….honestly, it is hard to mess these up if you are using compatible ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken thigh*
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 red onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cilantro, chopped
1 Fresno pepper, seeds removed and chopped fine
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
1-2 tablespoons of cooking fat (I use bacon fat for the flavor but coconut oil works)

Makes 12 meatballs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place foil lines baking sheet in the upper third of the oven.

MIX the ground chicken, onion, pepper, cilantro, egg, salt and pepper together thoroughly (roll up your sleeves and use your hands).

FORM the meatballs using a 1/4 cup measuring cup roll into 12 meatballs, they should be about the size of a golf ball.

REMOVE baking sheet from the oven and add cooking fat, tilting sheet to help coat the entire surface. Transfer meatballs to the sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serve these tasty meatballs over a salad or along side some roasted broccoli and butternut squash.  Or make the most amazing chicken meatball sandwich and add some sauce and cheese.  Enjoy!

 

*I buy boneless chicken thighs and grind them in a food processor using the pulse button.  You can even use a mini processor.  Why?  Because it is so easy and it taste so much better than the store bought ground chicken.

This is a good recipe to make and freeze for a later date…just form them, place on a baking tray and place in the freezer to firm them up.  Once they ‘hold their own’ place them in a freezer bag (that’s what I did!)