These versatile meatballs can be made with either ground chicken or turkey. They can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. They can be added to any spicy tomato sauce and served with pasta or they can be served with a spicy cream sauce (recipe below). They make a great addition to a buffet when served in a warmed chafing dish.
For the Meatballs:
1 ¼ pounds ground Chicken
¾ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (see separate recipe)
3 Garlic Cloves minced
¼ cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt to taste
For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
2 Garlic Cloves minced
½ cup chopped Onions
2 tablespoons Flour
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ cup whole milk or half and half
Instructions
Meatballs
In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs except oil till just combined. Form them gently; be careful not to press them tightly so they do not become tough. I use a small spoon to form smallish balls about an inch in diameter, or the size of a large grape.
Heat olive oil in a pan and add the meatballs to the pan in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides and remove them on a plate to cool. IF not serving immediately, the balls should be refrigerated or frozen for later use.
Sauce
For the sauce, heat olive oil and butter in the same pan and add garlic and onions. Saute gently for 2-3 minutes so the garlic doesn’t burn. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for a minute or two to make a nice roux. You can cook the roux longer if you wish to have a darker sauce, but in any event cook the flour long enough so it doesn’t taste raw. Add the chicken broth and milk and keep whisking continuously till the sauce thickens. Add the cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper and the meatballs. Simmer the meatballs for 10 minutes till they are warm.