with Parmesan Orzo and crispy sage leaves
I love growing my own veggies and herbs and they are flourishing this year. I planted sage for the first time this season too. And since it’s doing so well that I thought it was about time to put it to some good use. I very rarely make chicken meatballs, but these Chicken & Sage Meatballs are so yummy that I think they’re going to become a regular on our home menu. I’ve topped the dish with crispy sage leaves that are another new favourite for me.
Another little difference with these Chicken & Sage Meatballs is that they are baked. It gives them a lovely crust with a juicy centre. Besides the baking sheet, all the other steps use the same pan so it’s also a very easy clean up job.
I’ve served the meatballs with some parmesan orzo. I love orzo, but sadly it’s not always easy to find here. I bought some recently and have been dying to use it in a dish. For those who aren’t familiar with orzo, it is a form of pasta which resembles large grains of rice. It’s sometimes also called risoni. It’s super easy to prepare and takes about the same time to cook as any other dried pasta. You can either cook it as you would normal pasta, or, as I did on this occasion, cook it in a similar way as risotto. It’s just a little quicker.
As I mentioned, it’s not always easy to find so feel free to serve the meatballs with any pasta or rice of your choice. If you’d like to try the real thing though, two of my favourite online retailers that I use for interesting ingredients are The Great Cape Trading Company or The Olive Basket. They are amazing retailers that have a wonderful range of both local and international ingredients.
If you’re looking for a beef version, do give my Mini Meatballs a try.
Chicken and Sage Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
- 1 Shallot or small onion Finely chopped
- 3 Cloves of garlic Crushed
- ¼ tsp Chili flakes
- 60 grams Ciabatta bread Crumbed
- 500 grams Minced/Ground Chicken
- ¼ Cup Finely grated Parmesan
- 2 Tbsp Fresh or Dried Sage Finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Fresh parsley Finely chopped
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Dried mixed herbs
- Freshly ground black pepper
Orzo
- 30 grams Butter
- 8 – 10 Fresh sage leaves
- 1 Shallot or small onion Finely chopped
- 1 Clove of garlic Crushed
- 1 Cup Orzo
- ½ Cup Dry white wine or substitute with more stock or water
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme tied together with kitchen string
- 1½ Cups Chicken or vegetable stock
- ⅓ Cup Fresh Cream
- 1 – 2 Cups Baby Spinach Roughly chopped
- ¼ Cup Finely Grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
- Finely chopped fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and drizzle over 1 tablespoon on olive oil
- Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Add the shallot, garlic and chili flakes and bring to medium heat. Cook for a minute or two until it just starts to soften (not brown). Then remove and let cool slightly
- Place the bread in the food processor and pulse until it's broken up into a rough crumb. Set aside
- In a large bowl, add the chicken mince, bread crumbs, parmesan, sage, parsley, mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well (if the mixture is too dry add a little egg)
- Form the mixture into approx. tablespoon size balls (roughly golf ball size). You should get around 15 – 18 balls out of the mixture at this size
- Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the final tablespoon of olive oil. Ensure the balls are all coated
- Bake on the top rack of the oven for around 20 – 25 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Remove half way through and turn the balls over to brown evenly
- Make the orzo while the meatballs are baking
Orzo
- Wipe out the pan used earlier, place on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter melts, add the fresh sage leaves. Let the leaves crisp up as the butter starts to brown, then remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel
- Add the shallot and garlic to the butter and cook for a minute or two until they start to soften. Then add the orzo and stir through
- Next, add the wine and bundle of thyme sprigs. Turn the heat up slightly and let the wine cook out for a minute or two, stirring regularly
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for around 8 – 10 minutes, stirring regularly
- When the orzo is becoming tender, add the cream and parmesan and stir until the cheese melts and all is incorporated. Remove the thyme bundle. Add the chopped spinach and stir through. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper then remove from the heat
- Serve the chicken meatballs on top of the orzo. Garnish with more grated parmesan, chopped parsley and the crispy sage leaves
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