Today’s recipe is all about a vibrant Chimichurri sauce and creamy garlic yogurt that perfectly complement these flavored meatballs. You can serve this as an appetizer for Easter or as a light dinner. Trust me you are going to love this recipe!
I love making meatballs, it always brings me back to being a little girl, watching my mom and grandma, Meme in the kitchen. I loved helping roll the meatballs and watching them sizzle when they were added to the pan with hot olive oil.
First, you want to make the yogurt sauce and the Chimichurri sauce. The longer these two sauces have to marinate the better.
The garlic yogurt sauce is super easy. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, garlic and some salt and pepper. That’s it!
For the Chimichurri sauce, you are going to want to use your food processor, no worries if you don’t have one, a blender will get the job done too. If you do not have either of those, a sharp knife and some muscle will work too.
To the food processor or blender, add the cilantro, basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Pulse until combined but still slightly chunky, adding more olive oil as needed to loosen.
I absolutely love this sauce, I have a small jar of it in the refrigerator at all times. It compliments just about anything from these meatballs to an omelette or as a dip with some chips.
Now for the meatballs!
Chop ½ of a yellow onion,4 cloves of garlic and one cup baby spinach. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and slowly add the onion and cook until translucent and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic and some salt, cook until the spinach is wilted. Next sprinkle in the fennel seeds and cook for another minute, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, breadcrumbs, basil, cayenne, onion powder, dried parsley, paprika, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and some black pepper and mix with a rubber spatula. Make well in the middle of the chicken mixture and crack one egg into the middle of the well. Here’s the fun part, using your hands mix the egg and chicken mixture until well combined. Using your hands, roll into golf ball-sized balls.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
In the same skillet, heat up a ½ inch of olive oil. Add the meatballs to the hot olive oil but make sure not to overcrowd the skillet, and brown the meatballs on each side about 6 to 10 minutes total. The meatballs should be a nice golden brown. Remember you are not cooking them all the way through, we will finish them off in the oven.
Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 6 minutes, take the skillet out of the oven and slowly pour ¼ cup white wine into the skillet. Place back into the oven and continue cooking, 5 to 7 minutes.
You can serve these meatballs as an appetizer or the main dish with a side of jasmine rice or even on a salad with Garlic Yogurt Sauce and Chimichurri.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking meatballs
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup Italian Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup white wine
Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chimichurri:
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- 3 cloves garlic
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until translucent and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic and some salt and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the fennel seeds and cook for another minute, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, breadcrumbs, basil, cayenne, onion powder, dried parsley, paprika, thyme, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and some black pepper and mix. Roll into golf ball-sized balls.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with about 1/2 inch of oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet, 6 to 10 minutes total.
Place the meatballs in the oven, and set a timer for 6 minutes, take the pan out of the oven and slowly pour ¼ cup white wine into the pan.
Place back into the oven and continue cooking, 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve with Yogurt Sauce and Chimichurri.
Yogurt Sauce
Add the yogurt, garlic and some salt and pepper to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Chimichurri
To the food processor or blender , add the cilantro, basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and some salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Pulse until combined but still slightly chunky, adding more olive oil as needed to loosen. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Whisk Away Kitchen 