Spicy Calabrian Chicken Meatballs Recipes

SPICY CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven: Arrange oven rack to lower-middle position. Preheat oven to high broil.
• Prepare meatball mixture: Grate the onion into a large mixing bowl. To the same mixing bowl, add the chicken, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, chili powder, red pepper flakes and both types of paprika. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together well.
• Form and roll meatballs: Spray your hands lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. Roll and form the meat into firm, golf-ball sized meatballs, roughly 2 tablespoons of mixture each. (You should have about 15 meatballs).
• Add sauce to baking dish: Pour the vodka sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spray a large oven-safe wire rack with non-stick cooking spray. Place the rack securely on top of the baking dish.
• Add meatballs to rack: Place the meatballs on top of the oiled rack. Make sure you arrange the meatballs so that they are over the pan and the juices will drip into the sauce. Lightly spray the top of the meatballs with oil.
• Broil: Broil the meatballs (over the sauce) for 8-9 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and flip the meatballs over. Continue to broil for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add meatballs to sauce: Carefully remove the rack of meatballs from the top of the sauce. Stir the sauce, taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the meatballs from the rack into the sauce.
• Bake: Cover the pan and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
• Uncover and add cheese: Uncover the pan and break the burrata on top of the meatballs and sauce, evenly distributing the cheese. Return to the oven and bake (uncovered) for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
• Serve: Garnish with fresh basil and parsley. Sprinkle with more parmesan and enjoy plain or with your favorite pasta or bread!

SPICY CALABRIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
• Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, eggs, panko, mayonnaise, and milk. Add the garlic, paprika, salt, ginger, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, cloves, coriander and nutmeg. Using your hands, mix well to combine. Add 3 tablespoons each of the parsley, cilantro, and scallion and use your hands to mix for 1 minute to distribute the herbs.
• Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a small 2-ounce (60 milliliter) cookie scoop, add the meatballs to the pan, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 centimeter) space between them. Bake until the meatballs are lightly browned and the internal temperature reads 155 degrees F (68 degrees C), 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a large bowl, toss the meatballs with the sauce and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon each of parsley, cilantro, and scallion. Scatter with more parsley and serve immediately.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat until it begins to shimmer, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shallots and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and use a potato masher to smooth out any lumps. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, along with the chicken stock, garlic, chiles (and some of their oil), vinegar, basil, parsley, and black pepper and stir to combine.
• Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until it reduces slightly, about 20 more minutes. (It will be a thinner sauce.) To prevent scorching, stir the sauce every few minutes. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

SPICY CALABRIAN CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the shallot, garlic, parsley leaves, and chili pepper and pulse until minced. Remove from the processor and rinse out the processor and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and eggs. Add the panko or breadcrumbs and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Add the minced aromatics to the bowl of softened panko and season with salt and pepper. Add the ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine, being careful not to over-mix. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more heavy cream and work it in with your hands. If it feels too wet, add a touch more panko. Be careful not to add too much panko, or else you will end up with chicken bricks.
• Form into tablespoon-sized meatballs and set aside. Note: You can fry up a small piece before making the meatballs to taste them first.
• Heat the avocado oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until browned all over. Transfer to the meatballs and continue frying until all the meatballs brown all over. Cover the plate with foil and set it aside.
• If needed, add a touch more oil to the same pan you used to fry the meatballs and turn the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-8 minutes until it softens and turns golden around the edges.
• Add the minced garlic and minced Calabrian peppers and cook for 45 seconds until fragrant.
• Pour in the white wine or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar, if desired. Add the meatballs, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Arrange the torn mozzarella all over the meatballs and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. If desired, turn on the broiler for 3-4 minutes until the cheese turns golden brown in spots. Remove from the oven.
• Divide the meatballs and sauce between bowls and serve with pasta or crusty bread. Enjoy!

SPICY CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH ARRABBIATA SAUCE

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Mix together the breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, oregano, tomato paste, cayenne, paprika, parsley, Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl; add the chicken, milk and egg. Gently blend together with your fingertips, then form into 2-inch balls. Don't compact the meatballs too much or they'll be dense and dry.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil to coat. Add the meatballs and cook until a deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each of their 4 sides. It's OK if they're not fully cooked through, as they'll finish cooking in the sauce. (If you're not cooking them in the sauce, then cook the meatballs over medium heat until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.)
• For serving: Pour the hot Arrabbiata into the skillet with the meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the meatballs are fully cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Top with the red onions and Parmesan, then ladle over a handful of arugula in each serving bowl. Garnish with the basil and enjoy!
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the alcohol has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the basil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
• Blend the sauce with an immersion blender (or in 2 batches in a blender) until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 4 cups. Refrigerate any leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

CHEF JOHN'S CALABRIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Lay a game hen breast side-down on a work surface; use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut the backbone out of the game hen, cutting through each side of the bone from top to bottom. Remove the backbone. Use a sharp knife to slice through the cartilage of the breastbone. Flip game hen breast side-up, flatten bird lightly with your hands, and twist the wing tips underneath the wings. Repeat for remaining game hen.
• Place white wine vinegar, vegetable oil, rosemary, orange juice, garlic, egg, Calabrian chili sauce, orange zest, kosher salt, and anchovy fillet into a blender. Pulse several times to combine; blend until marinade is smooth and creamy.
• Place game hens into a resealable heavy plastic bag and pour in marinade. Squeeze out air, seal bag, and refrigerate at least 4 hours but preferably 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove game hens from marinade, reserving marinade. Dry birds on paper towels. Season breast sides with salt.
• Place game hens with breast sides down onto the preheated grill and cook until skin shows browned grill marks, about 5 minutes; rotate hens 45 degrees and grill 5 more minutes to make crosshatch grill marks.
• Flip game hens onto their backs, brush with reserved marinade, and grill with the lid on for 5 minutes. Brush hens with more marinade. Repeat, cooking 5 minutes, then brushing with more marinade, until game hens are deep golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 160 degrees F, about 35 more minutes. Flip hens breast sides down, brush once more with marinade, and cook with lid closed until marinade has glazed onto chicken, about 5 more minutes.
• Transfer hens to a serving platter, let rest for about 5 minutes, and serve.

SPICY MEATBALLS WITH CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, raw rice, salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, onion and garlic. Knead mixture well.
• Coat a sheet pan or roasting pan lightly with olive oil. With wet hands, form mixture into 1-ounce meatballs and arrange in one layer on pan. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy: Place a wide heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion, sprinkle lightly with salt and cook, stirring until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add saffron with soaking water, cumin, red-pepper flakes and cinnamon stick. Crush tomatoes with your hands, and add to pot, along with all tomato juices. Raise heat to medium-high, add broth and bring to a simmer. Taste and add more salt or red-pepper flakes as needed. Carefully add meatballs and adjust heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas and a splash of water and heat through. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve each diner 5 or 6 meatballs and plenty of gravy. Add a large spoonful of chickpeas on the side.

JERK CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH BARBECUE-PINEAPPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and very lightly coat it with oil.
• Prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, onion, egg, bread crumbs, jerk seasoning paste, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Using lightly wet hands, form the mixture into 12 meatballs, each a bit larger than a golf ball, and space them out on the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can fry them in a nonstick pan coated in oil over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side.)
• While the meatballs cook, prepare the glaze: Whisk the pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion powder, red-pepper flakes and salt together in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until it reduces enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Slowly whisk into the sauce, increase the heat to medium and stir until you reach the desired consistency. (Sauce should look like a thicker gravy.) Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir until coated. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, until the meatballs are evenly glazed and deepen slightly in color. Serve hot on their own or over rice.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a sauté pan, and sweat the onion until soft and translucent, taking care not to brown, about 5 minutes. Add a few drops of water if needed. Cool completely.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, pork, onion-soup mix, egg, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and onion. Season with salt and pepper.
• Form the meat into Ping-Pong-ball-size balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from the freezer and bake at 400 until just cooked through, about 7-9 minutes.

MOROCCAN-SPICED CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• First, make the yogurt sauce: Combine 1 cup of the yogurt, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl. Mix well, and chill until ready to use.
• Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/3 cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, chicken, panko, egg, parsley, olive oil, sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly, until incorporated. Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, form meatballs about 1 1/2-inches in diameter, then place them on a plate or sheet pan until ready to use.
• In a large skillet, heat 1/8-inch olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the meatballs in batches, flipping occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. (If the meatballs begin browning too quickly or the oil begins smoking, lower the heat.) Transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.
• To serve, spread the yogurt sauce in an even layer on a flat platter. Arrange the meatballs on top, and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and the pine nuts, if using. Serve hot.

CALABRIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place bread in bowl, add milk and 2 tbl oil, set aside 15 minutes or until absorbed.
• Toss bread mix, 2 cloves of garlic, mince, salt, juice and zest of the lemon, extra oil, parmesan and parsley in mixing bowl; mix well.
• Shape into balls cover and chill.
• Cook balls in pasta sauce for 15 minutes. Or until cooked through -- this may depend on the size of t he meatballs you decide to make . You can use any bottled pasta sauce or use one of your favourite homemade ones.
• Put over pasta.