Best 2 Orecchiette With Mini Chicken Meatballs Recipes
Orecchiette with mini chicken meatballs is a comforting and savory dish that combines the delicate flavors of orecchiette pasta with tender and juicy chicken meatballs. Originating from the Puglia region of Italy, orecchiette are small ear-shaped pasta often served with hearty sauces and vegetables. When paired with succulent chicken meatballs, this dish transforms into a delightful symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy meal or a special dish to impress your friends and family, this article will guide you through the steps of creating the perfect orecchiette with mini chicken meatballs.
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ORECCHIETTE WITH MINI CHICKEN MEATBALLS
From Giada De Laurentiis on the Today Show, with a couple of modifications. Prep and cooking times are estimates, but I find that from start to finish I need about 1.5-2hrs to make this dish. Also, I have found the meatball mixture to be too wet when using 2 eggs, but my mom never has trouble with that, so I put a step into the directions to use 1, mix, and check to see if it's too dry before adding the second egg. If you make this earlier in the day, place in a 150-200* F oven and hold for up to 3 hours. The mozzarella gets all melty and delicious. (FYI, any size of mozzarella balls are fine, so long as it's 8oz of fresh mozzarella. I've used bocconcini, 8oz balls, ovoline, and ciliegine.) The prep is a bit intensive (mostly getting the meatballs together and made). This is a popular enough dish in our house that I now make the meatballs ahead and freeze them. If making meatballs ahead, do not add the broth or tomatoes, just brown the meatballs, bag, and freeze. When I use frozen meatballs, I just defrost them, start a pan going with the broth and tomatoes, and then add the meatballs and continue from there.
Provided by EllenMoran
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 2h
Yield 8 , 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Lightly beat one egg.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, egg, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, salt, and pepper. If too dry, lightly beat and add second egg.
- Add the chicken and combine well.
- Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure) to scoop up the mixture, roll the seasoned chicken into ¾-inch mini meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs and brown the tops, about 2 minutes longer.
- Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and add ½ cup of the Parmesan. Toss to coat the orecchiette lightly, adding some of the reserved pasta water to help make a sauce.
- Add the meatball mixture, bocconcini, and ½ cup of the basil and combine. Garnish with the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan and the remaining basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 617.5, Fat 26.9, SaturatedFat 11.7, Cholesterol 142.1, Sodium 972.9, Carbohydrate 51.4, Fiber 3.1, Sugar 4.8, Protein 41.4
ORECCHIETTE WITH MINI CHICKEN MEATBALLS
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and combine well. Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure) to scoop up the mixture, roll the seasoned chicken into 3/4-inch mini meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs and brown the tops, about 2 minutes longer. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Toss to coat the orecchiette lightly, adding some of the reserved pasta water to help make a sauce. Add the meatball mixture, bocconcini, and 1/2 cup of the basil and combine. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan and the remaining basil.
Tips:
- To make perfect mini chicken meatballs, use a combination of ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well and roll into small meatballs.
- For a flavorful orecchiette pasta, use fresh orecchiette pasta and cook it in salted boiling water until al dente.
- To make the sauce, use a combination of olive oil, garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- To assemble the dish, add the cooked orecchiette pasta to the sauce and mix well. Top with the mini chicken meatballs, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley.
- For a vegetarian version of this dish, omit the chicken meatballs and add roasted vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, or bell peppers to the sauce.
Conclusion:
Orecchiette with mini chicken meatballs is a delicious and easy-to-make pasta dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. With its combination of tender orecchiette pasta, flavorful mini chicken meatballs, and rich tomato sauce, this dish is sure to be a hit with the whole family. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and flavors to create your own unique version of this classic dish.
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