Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Polenta

Name: Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Polenta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 450 g Ground chicken or turkey; Egg × 1; 55 g Panko breadcrumbs; 80 g Grated Parmesan; ½ tsp Garlic powder; ½ tsp Onion powder; 32 g Fresh parsley; 4 g Black pepper; 4 g Oregano; 8 g Salt; 200 g Polenta (cornmeal); 600 ml Milk; 40 g Butter; 600 g Chopped tomatoes, tinned; 4 cloves Garlic; 4 tbsp Olive oil

55 min · Easy · Serves 4

835 kcal per serving · 42g protein

Juicy panko-parmesan chicken meatballs baked golden, then spooned onto soft, buttery polenta with a quick garlic-tomato sauce — the way an Italian kitchen serves polpette.

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Ingredients

450 g Ground chicken or turkey
Egg × 1
55 g Panko breadcrumbs
80 g Grated Parmesan
½ tsp Garlic powder
½ tsp Onion powder
32 g Fresh parsley
4 g Black pepper
4 g Oregano
8 g Salt
200 g Polenta (cornmeal)
600 ml Milk
40 g Butter
600 g Chopped tomatoes, tinned
4 cloves Garlic
4 tbsp Olive oil

Method

Preheat & Prep

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
Combine the mixture

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, half the grated Parmesan, the garlic powder, onion powder, most of the finely chopped parsley (keep a little back for serving), the beaten egg, salt, pepper and the dried oregano.
Mix with your hands

Mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed — avoid over-mixing or the meatballs will be dense.
Roll the meatballs

Using slightly wet hands (this prevents sticking), scoop about a tablespoon of mixture and roll between your palms into smooth balls.
Place on the tray

Place them on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each.
Bake

Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until the meatballs are golden brown on the outside and cooked through (internal temperature 74°C). They should feel firm but still have a slight spring when pressed.
Start the tomato sauce

With the meatballs in the oven, warm the olive oil in a small pot over medium heat and add the sliced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, until it smells sweet but has taken no colour, then tip in the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cook the polenta

Bring the milk and 150 ml of water to a bare simmer in a heavy pot, then rain the polenta in with one hand while you whisk with the other. Turn the heat low and stir for 8 minutes, until it falls thickly off the spoon.
Finish the polenta

Take the pot off the heat and beat in the butter and half of the remaining Parmesan until the polenta is glossy. Taste it and add salt — under-salted polenta tastes of nothing at all.
Build the bowls

Let the meatballs rest on the tray for 3 minutes, then spoon the polenta into shallow bowls and press a dip into it with the back of the spoon. Pile the meatballs in, spoon the tomato sauce over and finish with the rest of the Parmesan and the rest of the parsley.