Dinner
Chicken Meatballs with Red Pepper Ricotta Sauce
Ingredients
Serves 2
Meatballs
- 1 package lean ground chicken (or lean ground turkey thigh)
- 1 egg
- 6–7 Breton crackers, crushed (or 2 tbsp cornflakes or ground flax for GF)
- ¾ clove garlic, minced
- ¼ shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dry basil
- Sprinkle sage powder
- Sprinkle sea salt
- Chopped fresh herbs: parsley, thyme, rosemary
- Splash olive oil
Roasted Red Pepper Ricotta Sauce
- ⅓ red pepper, roasted in olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, roasted
- ¼ cup low-fat ricotta
- ½ tsp dried cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Side
- ½ cup short grain brown rice
- 1 large carrot, chopped into strips
- ½ clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated Grana Padano or Parmesan
Method
- Preheat oven to 315°F. Heat a skillet with olive oil on medium.
- Combine all meatball ingredients by hand. Form into balls and refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
- Begin cooking the brown rice.
- Place carrot strips with garlic in a baking pan, cover with foil, and place in the oven to roast.
- Blend all red pepper sauce ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a small pot on low heat, stirring occasionally and adding water to adjust consistency.
- Remove meatballs from the fridge and sear in the skillet, turning until all sides are browned. Transfer to the oven alongside the carrots (remove foil from carrots now). Bake together for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and carrots are crispy.
- Strain the cooked rice. Plate with carrots and meatballs, spoon the sauce over top, and finish with grated cheese and fresh parsley.