This summer did not go at all as I had planned…said every human on planet Earth. However, some of the unexpected turned out to be a light amid the disaster–surrounded by madness, yes, but not smothered by it. The unimaginable happened. Then we found out it could actually get worse than that. And, oh yeah, it’s not going away. There have been plenty of tears, more stress miles than I can count, and loneliness and confusion and irritation, no doubt. But also ample opportunity to practice deliberate positivity (because let’s face it, it won’t be delivered through your screen), to kindle a mission of gratitude at 6ftcloser.com, to come closer to God, and to connect with my family.
And to make meatballs. Because what says family better than a skillet full of home-cooked, saucy, hearty, Italian spheres of love? And even if you don’t have warm memories of your Italian grandma making her special sauce on Sundays for you and all your aunts and uncles and cousins (as I don’t), can we agree that meat in ball form just makes everything more fun?
About the Recipe
I admittedly have a similar meatball and polenta recipe that I posted a few years ago. However, I’ve since discovered a few secrets that take this version OVER. THE. TOP. So these meatballs deserved their own page. They are so melt-in-your-mouth tender and moist that you’d never guess they could be lean. Plus, they’re loaded up with yummy spices, herbs, garlic, onion, and parmigiano-reggiano, without excessive binders that would compromise the meaty texture.
Why chicken?
Ground chicken (~95% lean) or chicken sausage allows for meatballs that are lighter, lower in saturated fat, and healthier, but still just as juicy and succulent as any made with red meat. (In part because you are cooking them directly in the sauce rather than baking them dry.)
Using only chicken breast meat (99% lean) works with the addition of a little olive oil, but they won’t come out quite as moist. While turkey is a valid substitute, ground turkey breast (99% lean) packs tightly and tends to dry out, yielding tougher meatballs. Fattier ground turkey mixtures (~93% and lower) tend to have a distinct turkey taste–which is fine if you’re ok with it.
One alternative that I would recommend is incorporating some pork sausage in the mix with the ground chicken. It gives even more depth of flavor, and you can use a spicy Italian blend for a little kick.
Regardless of what’s in the meat mixture, it is crucial that the mixture is not packed too tightly. It should feel wet and sticky, just formed enough to hold its shape. A little messy, I know, but so important for the texture!
Why cook the meatballs in the sauce?
While many meatball recipes call for baking the meatballs separately before adding to a sauce, I’ve found that cooking these lean chicken meatballs directly in the sauce allows for max moisture retention, and the resulting succulent, extra-tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture is unbeatable. Because the fat content is relatively low, you don’t have to worry about excess grease running out the sauce as they cook (which can be an issue with fattier beef/pork meatballs and a reason to cook them separately). As a bonus, stovetop cooking means fewer pans, less clean-up, easier monitoring, and just twelve minutes of cook time!
Why polenta?
For all the spaghetti fanatics out there, go for it. I will not stop you. But, as silly as it sounds, one of my biggest pet peeves is taking the time to construct beautiful meatballs just to see them get chopped up again by people’s forks and twirled into obscurity in a big pile of noodles. If you can get your hands on some classic polenta (white corn grits), though, it makes the perfect rich and satisfying canvas for your meatballs and veggie-loaded sauce to star the show. This polenta from Bob’s Red Mill cooks in just a few minutes and is a staple in my house. Just boil water and salt, add the polenta, milk, and fresh minced garlic if you want; finish with a touch of cream and lots of parmigiano-reggiano.
Chicken Meatballs in Vegetable Pomodoro Sauce over Parmesan Polenta
Notes
*For the Italian seasoning, I prefer to use a "pizza seasoning" with some red pepper. This one is sold at Whole Foods!
**I highly recommend Dave's Organic Red Heirloom or Spicy Heirloom Marinara.
***This amount makes a very thick, veggie-rich sauce ideal atop a bed of polenta. If instead serving with pasta, increase the amount of tomato sauce to 1 to 1.25 cups.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 6 oz ground chicken (95% lean) + 1/8 tsp salt + sprinkle black pepper + 3/4 tsp dried Italian/pizza seasoning* (OR 6 oz chicken sausage)
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp prepared tomato pasta sauce**
- 1.5 T finely minced yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 7g parmigiano-reggiano, finely shredded from block
- 1/2 tsp fresh or lightly dried parsley
For the sauce:
- 1/2 tsp olive oil (more if using stainless steel or cast iron)
- 3-4 Tbsp roughly chopped yellow onion
- 4 oz cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- Sprinkle dried fennel seed
- Sprinkle Italian herb blend
- Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp red wine
- 2 jarred artichoke hearts, chopped (optional)
- 3/4 cup prepared tomato pasta sauce***
For the polenta:
- 1 cup water
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup polenta/white corn grits
- 1/2 cup milk (1% or higher)
- 1/2 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 Tbsp half & half or cream
- 16g (heaping 1/4 cup) freshly shredded parmigiano-reggiano
Instructions
Prep the meatballs:
- Add all meatball ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Gently stir with hands just until evenly combined; do not over-mix. Lightly shape into 8 meatballs and set aside on a cutting board or mat. The meat should feel loose and moist, NOT tightly packed.
Cook the sauce and meatballs:
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, dried fennel seed, dried herbs, and a sprinkle salt and black pepper, all to taste. Cook about 3 minutes, then stir in garlic. When the vegetables begin to soften, add a splash of red wine and stir.
- Reduce heat. Stir in tomato sauce*** and artichokes, if using. Bring to a light simmer.
- Carefully nestle the meatballs in the pan with the sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the tops. Return sauce to bubbling over medium heat. Cover the pan.
- Cook 12 minutes, covered, turning meatballs halfway through. They should feel springy when pressed with the back of a fork.
Make the polenta:
- Add 1 cup water and 1/8 tsp sea salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then immediately stir in 1/2 cup polenta and reduce heat. Stir in 1/2 cup milk and minced garlic. Cook over low heat about 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Stir occasionally to avoid lumps. When liquid is absorbed, cover and turn off heat. Rest at least 5 minutes, covered. Lastly, stir in 1 Tbsp half&half or cream and 16g freshly shredded parmigianno-reggiano (heaping 1/4 cup).
- Divide polenta between 2 bowls. Top with sauce and meatballs. Finish with a sprinkle of parmesan and/or fresh parsley, if desired.
