Chicken Meatballs & Tomato Risoni

Ingredients: 

• 1kg chicken mince 
• ½ cup breadcrumbs 
• 1 zucchini, grated 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1 egg 
• ½ onion, diced 
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled 
• ½ cup cottage cheese, blended 
• 1 pinch salt 
• 1 pinch pepper 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 2 tsp Italian herbs 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 4 tsp tomato paste 
• 1 large capsicum, diced 
• 4 mushrooms, diced 
• 240g risoni  
• 1.5-2 cups of chicken stock 
• 500ml passata 
• 1 pinch salt & pepper 
• 1 pinch chilli flakes 
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs 

• Fresh basil leaves 
• Parmesan cheese 
• Feta cheese   

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced 160°C). Lightly grease a large oven-safe frying pan or casserole dish. 
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken mince, breadcrumbs, grated zucchini, crushed garlic, egg, diced onion, feta cheese, blended cottage cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian herbs. Mix gently until well combined, then roll into golf ball-sized meatballs (about 24). 
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the prepared oven-safe pan over medium–high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook for 3–4 minutes, turning to brown all sides (they don’t need to be cooked through). Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside. 
4. In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavour. 
5. Stir through the capsicum and mushrooms, cooking for 3–4 minutes until softened slightly. Stir in the risoni, chicken stock, and passata. Season with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and Italian herbs. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. 
6. Nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce, making sure they’re partially submerged. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the risoni is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. 
7. Remove from the oven, top with fresh basil leaves and your choice of parmesan or feta. Serve hot straight from the pan.