Baked Chicken Meatballs with my zesty roasted red pepper sauce make for a quick and easy dinner your family will love. The oven-baked meatballs come together in a snap and are made in one bowl for super fast cleanup. Roasting the red peppers adds a smokiness to the creamy sauce that pairs perfectly with the mildly flavored but very juicy meatballs. Top your plate with extra basil for a bright hit of fresh flavor. Use your Farmer Owned ingredients for a dinner you will want to make over and over again.

Ingredients:

Chicken Meatballs:
1 pound of ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of salt

Red Pepper Sauce:
2 red peppers
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup of basil leaves
salt and pepper, t.t.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a cookie tray with aluminum foil. Grease the foil with a tablespoon of olive oil.

In a large bowl, gently mix together the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, oil and spices using a fork.

Divide the chicken into 12 golfball sized meatballs. Roll each meatball gently in your hand to create a uniform shape. Place the meatballs on the prepared cookie tray and transfer to the preheated oven.

Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the meatballs are browned and have an internal temperature of 165°F. Cover the meatballs with foil and set aside.

Turn the oven to broil.  Place the red peppers on a cookie sheet or aluminum pie tin (I prefer this because the tin collects the juices) and place under the broiler. Broil two – three minutes per side, turning the peppers, until they are completely blackened on every side. Remove the peppers from the oven and cover with aluminum foil for ten minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the foil from the peppers and transfer them to a cutting board, reserving any juices that have collected in the tin. Peel the skin off the peppers and remove as many seeds as you can. Discard skin and seeds.

Roughly chop the peppers and set aside.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium flame. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent. This will take about five minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and a little more salt. Cook for two minutes while stirring until the garlic is softened and fragrant.

Add the chopped red peppers, reserved red pepper juice and basil. Cook for an addition 8 – 10 minutes until the peppers, herbs and aromatics have released their juices. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Serve the hot meatballs with a dollop, or two, of warm sauce and a sprinkle of fresh basil. These meatballs also make a great appetizer with the sauce served alongside for dipping.