This meatball stew contains hearty vegetables that are also cooked in a heady red wine sauce. Since potatoes are also included, serve the meatballs with a tossed salad.
1 large egg
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
11/4 pounds ground chicken
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound small mushrooms, trimmed and diced
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
1 pound small new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen pearl onions, thawed
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Combine egg and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth. Add breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons parsley, and thyme, and mix well. Add chicken, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well, and form mixture into 11/2-inch balls. Roll balls in flour, and set aside.
2. Place bacon in a Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add chicken balls to bacon fat, and brown well on all sides, turning gently with tongs, being careful to not crowd the pan. Remove chicken balls from the pan, and discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.
3. Return the pan to the stove, and add garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are lightly brown. Add wine to the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 2 minutes, and then add stock, remaining parsley and bay leaf to the pan. Bring to a boil, and add bacon, chicken balls, and potatoes.
4. Cover the pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are almost tender, and chicken balls are cooked through and no longer pink. Add onions to the pan, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove and discard bay leaf, and serve immediately.
Note: The chicken mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it in a 350°F oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.