Chicken Parma Meatballs with Pasta

I love it when anyone in my family tag me on food that they have seen posted on Facebook.  I know why they do it as it's like waving a red flag to a bull... it's like "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED".

 

Alex tagged me in a post by 4 Ingredients from one of their non-4 Ingredients books ""4 Play" in the recipe Chicken Parma Meatballs and I am glad she did.  This was such a novel concept - not unlike the meatballs that you get on a Sub at Subway but obviously made with chicken mince.

 

The original recipe is for bite sized balls perfect for entertaining but I wanted to make this into a meal we could have for dinner so what better to go with Parma meatballs than to serve it with pasta.

 

The meatballs were very tender, in fact melt in your mouth tender.  The slight flavour of cheese in each mouthful of meatball was delicate but enticing especially being smothered in a thick tomato sauce and molten cheese.

 

Winner winner chicken dinner I say..............

Chicken Parma Balls

(Recipe adapted from 4 Ingredients - 4 Play Cookbook)

 

Serves: 6

ProPoints per serve: 12

1 kilogram lean chicken mince

4 slices wholegrain bread made into breadcrumbs

1/2 red onion finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt

freshly ground black pepper

700 gram bottle Passata

250 grams spiral pasta or pasta of your choice

Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a large bowl mix the mince, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley and half the cheese. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Using your hands shape into 30 balls and place on a lightly greased ceramic baking dish.  Brush each ball with Passata.

Bake in oven uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water according to packet directions.  Drain and keep warm.

Remove dish from oven and brush meatballs with more sauce and pour remaining Passata around the baking dish.  Scatter with remaining cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

Serve with pasta and 0ppt steamed vegetables.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)