Ramadan is over & summer is here with all its hot & sunny mornings. Nothing annoys me more than having to spend hours in the kitchen; literally melting in front of the stove to prepare food. That’s why be prepared for easy & quick recipes yet still delicious & comforting.

I always make tomato sauce with meatballs but how about trying chicken balls this time? Perfectly seasoned minced chicken is shaped into balls, seared until golden then tossed with a delcious tomato sauce & sprinkled with ALL THE CHEESE!

A WOW recipe, that is guaranteed to please all family members & is prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 500-600 gm minced chicken فراخ مفرومة
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs بقسماط
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped بقدونس
• 1/4 cup parmesan grated بارميزان
• 1 tbsp worcesterchire sauce
• 1 heaped tsp dijon mustard مسطردة
• 1/2 tsp paprika بابريكا
• 1/2 tsp onion powder بصل بودرة
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder ثوم بودرة
• 1/2 tsp chicken spices بهارات فراخ
• salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the Sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion grated بصل
• 2 garlic cloves minced ثوم
• 1 can chopped tomato طماطم مبشورة معلبة
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme or basil زعتر او ريحان
• salt & pepper

For Topping:

• 1 medium buffalo mozzarella ball or 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella موتزاريلا
• 2 tbsp parmesan grated
• 2 tbsp parsley chopped بقدونس

Directions:

• Mix the minced chicken with all the ingredients except the olive oil. If the mixture is too sticky, add 1 extra tbsp breadcrumbs. Note that minced chicken should be a little more sticky than minced meat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & place in the fridge for about 1 hour for all the flavors to blend together & the mixture becomes firmer. Shape the mixture into small to medium sized balls.
• Heat a large pan on high heat until hot. Add the olive oil & sear the chicken balls on all sides until they take a nice golden color. Remove from the pan & set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tbsp olive oil & cook the onion & garlic for about 5 minutes until golden.
• Add the can of tomato & 3/4 cup water to the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce heat to low & let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until it thickens.
• Add the sugar, thyme/basil & season with salt & pepper.
• Return the chicken balls to the pan, toss with the sauce for a couple of minutes then turn off heat.
• Crumble the buffalo mozzarella & sprinkle it on the tomato sauce (not the meatballs). The heat of the sauce will melt the cheese. Sprinkle the parmesan & parsley on top.
• Serve immediately with white pasta.

Notes:

• You can use minced chicken thighs or breast as per your preference.
• You can use fresh basil or thyme leaves instead of the dried ones.
• For the step by step video, check my instagram account.