September 2, 2009

Chicken Spinach Meatballs

Name: Chicken & Spinach Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground chicken; 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped*; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 eggs, beaten; 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; 1/2 teaspoon of salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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Tired of the same old meatballs? These oven-baked meatballs are made with ground chicken and spinach and easy to make. These chicken spinach meatballs are a spin on the traditional and perfect with all your favorite pasta dishes.

chicken and spinach meatballs in a serving bowl

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There are some meals you can always count on to make everyone happy. At our house spaghetti night, taco night, and pizza night rotate frequently through our menu plan. For spaghetti night I usually make the same ground beef meatballs, so this week I decided to switch things up and try something new substituting ground beef for ground chicken and adding spinach.

chicken and spinach meatballs on a baking sheet

How to Make Chicken Spinach Meatballs

The new meatball features some of the usual suspects like basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic, so the switch-up came in the form of ground chicken and spinach. Using a pound of ground chicken and a 10-ounce box of frozen spinach I was able to make 18 decent sized meatballs– we had some for dinner and I froze the rest to have on hand for those busy days when dinner needs to be ready in a hurry. Since it was spaghetti night we had ours with, well, spaghetti. However, I think these would make great sandwiches, as well. Overall, the chicken spinach meatballs were a nice change from our old stand-by meatballs.

Ingredients

Ground chicken
Frozen Spinach
Basil
Garlic and onion
Eggs
Breadcrumbs
Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper

All you do is combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. I like to make meatballs about golf-ball sized.

Line them up on a baking sheet and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

Can I cook the meatballs on the stove?

Yes, you can cook them on the stove instead of baking them. Brown the meatballs in a pan with olive over medium heat until they are cooked through, about ten minutes. Or, you can brown them first and then add your sauce and simmer them in the sauce until they are cooked through.

Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen spinach?

Readers have tried using fresh spinach with success! One reader finely chopped the fresh spinach and just mixed it up with the ground chicken mixture.

If you want to cook the spinach first, you will need approximately 1 pound of fresh spinach so you end up with about 10 ounces cooked, which is the same amount that is in a box of frozen spinach. Just cook the fresh spinach in a large pot with some olive oil (a few teaspoons should be enough). As the spinach cooks it will release its moisture. Once it’s cooked down, let it cool and then add it to your chicken meatball mixture.

Can I make these chicken spinach meatballs ahead?

Yes, you can make a batch of these meatballs ahead and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer.

Refridgerator: store the meatballs in an airtight container. They should keep well in the refrigerator for up to three or four days.
Freezer: cool the meatballs completely and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They should keep well for three to four months in the freezer.

Happy meatball-making!

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