Chicken Meatballs with Parmigiano Reggiano
Meatballs
1 pound ground chicken (chicken thighs preferred)
1 large egg, stirred with a fork gently
½ cup bread crumbs
⅓ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried basil
½ teaspoon fresh or dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
Sauce
1 small shallot, diced (about 1 tablespoon
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine, like chardonnay
2 cups chicken broth
1 lemon, preferably organic, sliced
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, dried basil, oregano, pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined - don't overmix. Shape the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs and return to the bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the meatballs in a single layer without crowding, browning on all sides, cooking about 5 to 6 minutes in total. You can do this in batches if you have a small skillet. Just brown them and remove - they will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer all browned meatballs to a large plate.
In the same skillet over medium heat, add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock and lemons and simmer gently for about 5-10 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the meatballs to the sauce in the pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs cooked through. Serve with pasta, rice or a vegetable.