Hunter’s Chicken Meatballs
-
Prep Time
15 MINS
-
Cook Time
50 MINS
- KCals 300
- Carbs 13G
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 500 g 3% fat minced chicken
- 2 smoked bacon medallions finely chopped
- 20 g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ½ medium egg beaten with a fork
- salt and black pepper to taste
- low-calorie cooking spray
For the sauce
- ½ medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp BBQ seasoning mix
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or Henderson's relish
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Frank's Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce or other hot pepper sauce
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp granulated sweetener
For the top
- 80 g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, finely grated
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the minced chicken, bacon, breadcrumbs, garlic granules, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Add the egg a little at a time and mix until completely combined. You may not need to add all the egg; the mixture needs to hold together well enough to form into meatballs. Shape the mixture into 16 balls.
-
Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. When the frying pan is hot, add the meatballs and fry for 2-3 minutes to seal and lightly brown on all sides. Remove from the frying pan and set aside on a plate while you make the sauce.
-
Place all the sauce ingredients in an 18 x 27cm ovenproof dish and stir until mixed.
-
Place the sealed meatballs on top of the sauce and cover tightly with kitchen foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through; they should show no sign of pinkness inside and their juices should run clear.
-
Remove the meatballs from the dish and set aside on a plate. Transfer the sauce mixture into a food processor or use a stick blender to blitz until completely smooth.
-
Preheat the grill on a high setting. Return the meatballs to the ovenproof dish and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and place under the grill for a couple of minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden.
-
Serve at once with an accompaniment of your choice.