Serve hearty chicken meatballs as an appetizer
Sauteed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor to this easy Buffalo-chicken meatball recipe. Serve the meatballs as an appetizer with carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch-style dressing for dipping, or make the meatballs into a Buffalo-chicken sandwich. To make ahead: Freeze baked, cooled meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet; then transfer them to an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Reheat from frozen in a 350-degree oven for about 25 minutes.
BUFFALO-CHICKEN
MEATBALLS
Serves 6
Active time: 25 minutes Total time: 50 minutes Ingredients: 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, sliced 4 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs 1/2 cup very finely chopped carrot 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as
Frank’s RedHot 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 1 pound lean ground chicken
Directions:
Finely chop the mushrooms, onion, celery and garlic in a food processor. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool for 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil, and coat with cooking spray.
Add the breadcrumbs, carrot, cheese, hot sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to the cooled vegetables; stir until combined. Add the chicken, and mix gently to combine (do not overmix). Form into 30 meatballs (a scant 2 tablespoons each), and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the meatballs until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees, about 15 minutes.
Recipe nutrition per serving:
207 calories; 11 grams fat (3 grams saturated 5 grams monounsaturated); 69 milligrams cholesterol; 11 grams carbohydrate; 0 grams added sugars; 3 grams total sugars; 17 grams protein; 1 gram fiber; 523 milligrams sodium; and 633 milligrams potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A, 37 percent daily value; and potassium,
18 percent DV.