Ever since my nephew was born last October I’ve fantasized about all the fun, ‘kid friendly’ foods I can make for him when he gets a little older. So far its been lots of cut chucks of poached/roasted chicken breast or pureed lentils with sweet potato and cumin, etc. All of that stuff is fine and great, but a liiiiittle bit boring to make.
I’m so happy that little Dylan has SUCH a hearty appetite…seriously, this little almost 10 month old is crazy about everything and anything that has to do with eating and his parents (and entire extended family for that matter) couldn’t be more proud! My mom tells me stories about how I was a really picky and fussy eater as a baby/toddler and how stressful it was for her and I couldn’t even imagine! As someone who cooks and creates recipes for a living it brings me pure joy at even the idea of cooking fun and awesome, little meals for Dylan!
These Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are at the top of the list for when the little guy’s ready! Not only is this a kid friendly recipe, but it also makes a really tasty appetizer for any get togethers. You can also make them bite sized for cocktail parties so guests can easily pop them whole into their mouths. Also, Labor Day is just a month away and if you’re like me you plan these sorts of meals psychotically early (you know, like the seafood boil I’m already planning for christmas dinner this year!) and these meatballs would make a great addition to any Labor Day menu! Enjoy! xx, Jenny
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Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons oat flour
- 1 tablespoon minced basil
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 12 (½ “) cubes part skim mozzarella
dredging mixture
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 egg plus 1 egg white, beaten together well
- oil for frying
garnish
- fried basil leaves optional
- grated parmesan optional
- marinara sauce for dipping
Recipe instruction visual controls:
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place chicken, oat flour, basil, thyme, oregano, garlic, egg yolk, salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl and mix together until all ingredients are fully combined, making sure not to over-mix and toughen the meatball mixture.
- Taking 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time, flatten into a disc on the palm of your hand and place a cube of mozzarella onto the center of the disc. Mold the mixture around the cheese, into a ball and roll until completely sealed.
- Combine all the ingredients of the dredging mixture together into a shallow baking dish and whisk together.
- Lightly coat each meatball with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Continue by rolling each meatball into the beaten eggs and back into the flour mixture. Repeat this step until all meatballs have been coated.
- Fill a skillet with 1 inch of oil and place over medium heat. Once the oil reaches 350˚F, carefully add a few meatballs to the skillet and fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until the meats are golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer onto paper towels and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Repeat until all meatballs have been fried. Garnish with fried basil leaves and grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately with marinara sauce.
NOTES
- *Makes 12 meatballs
- *TO BAKE: Replace the ap flour with panko breadcrumbs. Line coated meatballs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and lightly spray each meatball with cooking spray. Bake in the oven at 375˚F for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through completely. Serve.
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this looks like it will taste wonderful, but also looks good enough for next dinner party! thank you
I made this last night and my husband and I LOVED it. Thank you for a great (and quick!) recipe. We baked ours and adored the crunch from the panko breadcrumbs! Our meatballs were served with some pasta and a load of homemade marinara. Delicious—thank you!
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed!
it looks delicious and not that difficult to make!
yummy!
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ooh, when i first saw the top pic i thought they were arancini because they looked so crispy! fried meatballs sound just as tasty as arancini though. and dang, can i just say that i’m already jealous of your nephew?