Chicken meatballs in sauce make a surprisingly delicious dish considering how little effort and few ingredients it requires. It is a one-pot dish that’s full of flavour, nutritious, and versatile, perfect to serve with either potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Combine meatball ingredients: To a large mixing bowl add the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, dried herbs, garlic and onion granules and salt and pepper. Stir together using a large spoon then mix everything thoroughly with your hand.
Form meatballs: Form 11-12 meatballs (grease your hands with a little oil for every meatball to prevent the mixture sticking to them).
Fry meatballs: In a large non-stick pan heat 1-1.5 tablespoons of oil and fry the meatballs for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat until browned then turn over and fry for 2 more minutes. They should not be cooked through at this point. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
Make sauce
Cook leeks: Using the same pan (with the juices from the meatballs in it) add the leeks and cook over a medium/low heat for about 4 minutes until softened, stirring often.
Add flour: Add the flour, 1 tablespoon of butter and quickly stir into the leek mixture.
Add stock: When the flour is no longer visible pour in the stock, add the thyme, pepper to taste and stir until the sauce starts to thicken.
Assemble
Add meatballs: Return the meatballs to the pan, cover and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serve: Remove from the heat, scatter over a little grated parmesan and serve!
Notes
The chicken: To make juicy meatballs I recommend using ground chicken with no less than 5% fat.
The leeks: I like to use the entire leek, but you can just use the white part (in which case you may need 3 leeks).
The meatballs: Brown the meatballs but do not cook them through. They will finish cooking in the sauce. (See also meatballs with mushroom sauce and meatball pasta bake which are made using a similar method).
Best served: immediately.
Storing: Leftover sauce with chicken meatballs can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezing: You can freeze raw meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Alternatively freeze the meatballs with the sauce. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
What equipment to use: I recommend using a large non-stick pan – you won’t need to use very much oil and the meatballs will brown evenly.