Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs (Printer-friendly)
Juicy chicken meatballs with sun-dried tomatoes in a luscious mustard cream sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground chicken
02 - 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, finely chopped
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Creamy Mustard Sauce
12 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
13 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
14 - 1 cup heavy cream
15 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
16 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
17 - 1 tsp whole-grain mustard
18 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste
20 - Fresh parsley for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
03 - Form mixture into 16-18 small meatballs, approximately 1.5 inches each.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear meatballs in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes total.
05 - Arrange seared meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
07 - Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and whole-grain mustard. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
08 - Add Parmesan cheese and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 more minutes until slightly thickened.
09 - Return baked meatballs to the skillet and coat in the sauce. Simmer together for 2-3 minutes to meld flavors. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of tangy sun-dried tomatoes and creamy mustard sauce creates layers of flavor that feel restaurant quality but come together in under an hour
- They freeze beautifully so you can double the batch and always have something impressive ready for unexpected guests
02 -
- Overmixing the meat mixture makes tough rubbery meatballs so use a light hand and stop as soon as everything is combined
- The searing step might feel like extra work but that golden crust creates texture that oven baking alone cannot achieve
03 -
- Let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes after cooking so they do not lose all their juices when you cut into them
- The oil from your sun-dried tomatoes is liquid gold so save it for roasting vegetables or finishing another dish