Chicken and Mushroom Meatballs

Makes 4 to 6 servings


Active time: 20 minutes


Start to finish: 35 minutes

VARIATIONS

Replace the ground chicken with ground turkey, ground pork, or ground veal.

Substitute some uncooked chicken sausage for some of the ground chicken.

Woodsy wild mushrooms and delicate white mushrooms are cooked and added to the ground chicken. These are great party meatballs; feel free to experiment with sauces other than the one suggested.

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 pound white mushrooms, wiped with a damp paper towel, trimmed, and finely chopped

2 portobello mushroom caps, wiped with a damp paper towel, stemmed, and finely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

1 large egg

2 tablespoons whole milk

3 slices white bread, torn into small pieces

1/4 cup grated whole milk mozzarella

11/4 pounds ground chicken

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Vegetable oil spray

For dipping:

1 cup Blue Cheese Sauce or purchased blue cheese dressing

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.

2. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add white mushrooms and portobello mushrooms, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked and liquid has evaporated. Stir in parsley and herbes de Provence and set aside.

3. While vegetables cook, whisk egg and milk in a mixing bowl, add bread and cheese, and mix well. Add mushroom mixture and chicken to the mixing bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again. Make mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan. Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray.

4. Bake meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove the pan from the oven, and serve immediately, accompanied by a bowl of Blue Cheese Sauce for dipping.

Note: The turkey mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the meatballs can be baked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat them in a 350°F oven, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until hot.