Name: Stuffed chicken meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Ingredients: 500 g HECK! Chicken Italia Mince ( (or any HECK! Chicken mince) ); 130 g grated Cheddar and mozzarella mix; 3 tbsp olive oil; ½ red onion (peeled, finely chopped); salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 red peppers (finely sliced ); 2 garlic cloves (peeled, finely sliced ); 2 tsp fennel seeds; 800 g tinned cherry tomatoes; 1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar; balsamic salad (to serve)

Heck’s gluten-free chicken mince give these meatballs a wonderful and rustic flavour, perfect for a midweek meal or weekend treat…

Stuffed chicken meatballs

Delicious chicken mince make these meatballs a perfect midweek meal of weekend treat

Course Main Course

Cuisine british, Italian

Keyword chicken, Italian, meatballs

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author HECK!

Ingredients

500 g HECK! Chicken Italia Mince (or any HECK! Chicken mince)
130 g grated Cheddar and mozzarella mix
3 tbsp olive oil
½ red onion peeled, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 red peppers finely sliced
2 garlic cloves peeled, finely sliced
2 tsp fennel seeds
800 g tinned cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
balsamic salad to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Divide the mince into 12 equal-sized pieces and shape into rough balls on a baking tray.
Take 1 teaspoon of the grated Cheddar and mozzarella mix and form into a small ball. Repeat so there are 12 balls – you’ll only need 80g (2/3 cup) of the cheese mix here, so save the rest for the topping later.
Push a ball of cheese into the middle of each ball of mince, moulding the mince around it so the cheese is completely encased, then roll back into a ball. Put the meatball back on the baking tray and repeat with the remaining cheese balls and mince.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway, until caramelised. Transfer back to the baking tray.
Heat the oil in the same pan, still over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until soft, then add the peppers and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in the fennel seeds. Cook for another minute, then tip in the tinned cherry tomatoes and vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes, then season to taste.
Nestle the meatballs into the sauce and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serve with a balsamic salad.
TIP: You can prepare this in the morning and keep in the fridge, ready to bake for dinner later – just bake for an additional 5 minutes. This will also freeze really well in individual portions once cooked. Defrost in the fridge overnight, or in the microwave on a defrost setting.