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These Tuscan chicken meatballs are juicy, tender and simmered in a rich, creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and Parmesan. A cosy, family-friendly dinner – perfect with pasta, mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread for mopping up every last bit of sauce.
Nicky’s Notes
Golden pan-fried chicken meatballs, when done right (plenty of seasoning, herbs and garlic, plus panko for tenderness), are AMAZING!
They’re also a brilliant, cost effective alternative to chicken breast, AND they soak up the flavors of this creamy Tuscan sauce beautifully.
Everyone gets excited when I make this for dinner – especially with a side of garlic bread.
Those cute little garlic breads in the top of the image? They’re mini burger buns, smothered in garlic butter and a few chilli flakes and baked for a few minutes, until golden. A last minute addition to this dish that went down a storm, and I’ve since had to make them every time 😆
So if you’re wondering what to do with a pack of chicken mince (ground chicken), I wholeheartedly recommend this recipe. Let me know what you think!
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients for the chicken meatballs
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
📋 Ingredients for the Tuscan-style sauce
Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below***
Mix the meatball ingredients together, chill briefly, then roll into walnut-sized meatballs. Brown the meatballs in a large pan, then add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until softened. Add seasonings, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato purée, then simmer with wine and stock. Finish with cream, parmesan and spinach, then serve.
Recipe Tips
- If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of stock, water or cream and stir gently.
If the sauce is too thin, simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes until it turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon. - A wide, non-stick frying pan or sauté pan works best here. It gives the meatballs room to cook evenly and allows the sauce to reduce without overcrowding.
- If the meatballs are sticking to the pan, let them colour before moving them. They usually release more easily once they’ve formed a light crust.
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Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- Make the dish, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day.
- Reheat, covered in the oven at 160C/320F for 20-25 minutes or on the hob in a pan (covered) until the meatballs are piping hot throughout. You may need a splash or water/stock/cream to loosen as it will be a little thicker. Add the spinach and wilt before serving.
- For freezing, cook the dish then, cool, cover and freeze.
- Defrost thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight, then take out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking to take the chill off the chicken breasts.
- Reheat as per the above instructions.
Tuscan Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 500 g (1.1lb) chicken mince (ground chicken)
- 1 medium egg
- 5 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp paprika
For the Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper de-seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 160 g (1 cup) sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped I like the bright red one from the deli counter
- 1 tbsp tomato puree paste for US
- 90 ml (1/3 cup) white wine
- 240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock use bouillon for gluten-free
- pinch salt and pepper
- 90 ml (1/3 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 50 g (1/2 cup) parmesan cheese grated
- 90 g (3 packed cups) fresh baby spinach
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl and mix together with your hands. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the panko to absorb some of the moisture – as this is quite a sticky mixture. If you're putting in the fridge for more than 20-30 mins (make it up to one day ahead), cover the bowl with clingfilm too).500 g (1.1lb) chicken mince (ground chicken), 1 medium egg, 5 tbsp panko breadcrumbs, 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp paprika
- Remove the mixture from the fridge and form the mixture into walnut-size meatballs – you should get about 20-22 meatballs. The mixture will still be fairly sticky, so I like to oil my hands first as this helps to prevent the mixture from sticking to hands.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium–high heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides – this should take 6–8 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil
- Move the meatballs to one side of the pan and add the onion, chopped peppers and garlic to the space. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.1 onion , 2 cloves garlic , 1 red bell pepper
- Add the oregano, paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato puree. Stir everything together with the meatballs (be careful, the meatballs are delicate) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times.1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp paprika, 160 g (1 cup) sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped, 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Next pour in the wine and allow to bubble for 2 minutes,90 ml (1/3 cup) white wine
- Now add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Bring the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock, pinch salt and pepper
- Add the cream, parmesan and spinach to the sauce, stir and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts.90 ml (1/3 cup) double (heavy) cream, 50 g (1/2 cup) parmesan cheese , 90 g (3 packed cups) fresh baby spinach
- Serve topped with a sprinkling of fresh parsley. I love to serve these meatballs with pasta, rice or sauteed potatoes.1 tbsp chopped parsley
Notes
Can I make ahead?
Yes, make the dish, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat, covered in the oven at 160C/320F for 20-25 minutes or on the hob in a pan (covered) until the meatballs are piping hot throughout. You may need a splash or water/stock/cream to loosen as it will be a little thicker. Add the spinach and wilt before serving.Will it freeze?
Yes, cook the dish then, cool, cover and freeze. Defrost thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight, then take out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking to take the chill off the chicken breasts. Reheat as per the above instructions. Nutritional Information is per serving (serves 4).Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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