Who doesn’t love a meatball? (Especially ones served in a pot of rich, flavorful marinara sauce…) I like to use ground chicken in this recipe, but of course ground turkey, pork, veal or grass-fed beef would be just as tasty. I combine the tender ground meat with a touch of Pecorino Romano cheese, Panko breadcrumbs, one egg, chopped rosemary and some chopped, wilted spinach. The tomato sauce can be either store-bought or homemade, but either way I like to add in some fresh basil and oregano for extra flavor; and the last healthy add-in to these luxurious meatballs in sauce are buttery white beans. An extra bite of protein, yes, but also a welcomed buttery texture as well. Serve these meatballs on their own or like I did, over your favorite fresh fettuccine.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Baked Chicken Florentine Meatballs with Cannellini Beans
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground chicken (92% lean)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 cups spinach, wilted and finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 jar of your favorite tomato-basil sauce
- 1/4 cup basil leaves and oregano leaves mixed, chopped
- 1 cup cooked white beans
- Extra Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, for serving
- Al dente pasta, cooked (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with an oiled piece of parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the ground chicken along with the next 8 ingredients until mixed well. Form the mixture into 10 meatballs and arrange on the oiled baking sheet. Bake for 300-35 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and have reached an internal temp of 165 degrees.
- In the meantime, heat your marinara sauce along with the freshly chopped herbs and white beans in large saucepan, stirring often, over medium-low heat until warmed through.
- Serve the cooked meatballs in the heated sauce, with extra grated cheese and cooked pasta, if desired.
Tagged: cannellini beans, chicken florentine meatballs, chicken meatballs, dried beans, egg, fresh basil, fresh herbs, fresh oregano, fresh rosemary, ground chicken, marinara sauce, meatballs, meatballs with white beans, panko breadcrumbs, pecorino cheese, spinach, tomato sauce, tomato-basil sauce, white beans, wilted spinach
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