Creamy Chicken Meatballs with Parmesan & White Beans
I had these chicken meatballs sitting in the freezer from an earlier recipe.
I thought I’d cook them for lunch but put a different spin on the braising liquid. I can’t decide which version I like best, so you should try both and let me know.
Golden chicken meatballs, creamy white beans and plenty of greens, all wrapped up in a deeply savoury sauce of miso, Dijon, anchovies and Parmesan. Serve it straight from the pan with a slab of fresh sourdough for scooping up every last bit.
SERVES: 4-5 PREP TIME: 20 mins TOTAL TIME: 1 hr
INGREDIENTS
CHICKEN MEATBALLS
500 gm minced chicken
1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp thyme (dried or fresh picked leaves)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
CREAMY MISO WHITE BEANS
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 anchovy fillets
1 cup chicken bone broth or chicken stock, heated
1 tbsp miso paste (or to taste)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 × 400 g tin white beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup (185 ml) pure cream
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 large cup baby or english spinach, or collard greens
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
Chilli flakes
EVOO for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
METHOD
Place the chicken mince, Parmesan, quinoa flakes, egg and thyme in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then mix gently until just combined.
With damp hands, roll heaped tablespoons of the mixture into 2 cm meatballs and place on a tray.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning regularly, until golden all over and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic and anchovies to the same pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring and breaking up the anchovies, until they have melted into the oil and the garlic is fragrant.
Whisk the hot bone broth, miso and Dijon mustard together in a jug. Pour it into the pan, scraping up any golden bits from the base. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, or until slightly reduced.
Add the white beans and return the meatballs to the pan. Gently stir to coat, then allow everything to heat through for 2–3 minutes.
Pour in the cream and add the Parmesan. Cook gently for another 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the Parmesan has melted and the sauce is creamy. Avoid boiling the sauce vigorously, as this may cause it to split (but don’t worry too much if it does).
Add the torn up greens, cover the pan and cook for 1–2 minutes, or until just wilted.
Remove from the heat and squeeze over the lemon juice. Taste before seasoning-the anchovies, miso and Parmesan already bring plenty of saltiness-then add salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper as needed.
Finish with extra Parmesan, a drizzle of and a scattering of chilli flakes, if using. Serve immediately with thick slices of fresh sourdough.
Buon appetito 🍋
GOOD TO KNOW: The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with an extra splash of bone broth or water. Leftovers can be gently reheated with a little additional liquid.
