Chicken meatballs in rich red wine sauce

Do you like French onion soup? Well, if you do then this chicken meatballs recipe is definitely for you, as the sauce has very similar flavours. If you don’t, then you still have to try it and you’ll love it from now on.

Simple ingredients made very tasty. We love chicken in our family and I cook it a lot, so have to come up with innovative ways to cook it. Breasts with red wine? Yes! Why not?

It’s simple, quick and without any fancy ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:

800g ground chicken (I used breasts and thigh fillets)

200g ground almonds (or breadcrumbs)

1 egg

1 onion

2 fat cloves of garlic (I always use home grown so it’s very strong. If using milder garlic you’ll need more)

Salt and pepper

Flour for coating

For the sauce:

50g butter

3 small onions

250ml dry red wine

450ml rich beef stock

1tbsp dried thyme (or fresh)

1tbsp chopped fresh parsley

METHOD:

Combine onions and garlic in the food processor. Mix together with almonds, ground chicken, egg and season with salt and pepper. Make small meatballs about the size of a teaspoon. Dust with plain flour. Put these on the baking sheet and in the oven at 180’ for 15 mins or fry in batches until sealed and golden. Set aside.

In an oven proof dish melt the butter, add onion sliced in half moons. Cook on medium heat until caramelised but not browned. Add the meatballs, wine, stock, thyme and parsley. Cook with no lid on the hob on low heat, until the the sauce thickens up, about 30 mins. Add grated cheese on top, I used extra mature cheddar and cooked for a few minutes under the grill.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and green vegetables.