These easy to make meatballs are tender, juice and very tasty. They can be served as an appetizer, served with pasta or rice or in a sandwich.
Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb. ground chicken, (or ground beef, lamb, turkey or ground beef/pork mixture)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, whisked
1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
2 T. Cajun seasoning, or less to taste*
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped parsley
2 -3 T. olive oil
Creamy Sauce:
2 T. butter
1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 T. flour
2-3 t. Cajun seasoning, or less to taste*
1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth/stock
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. parsley, chopped
Meatballs:
In a medium bowl, mix together ground chicken, garlic, egg, panko, Cajun seasoning, Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley; mix until well combined, but do not overwork the meat.
Using an ice cream scoop, form into 24 one inch in diameter meatballs.
In a large skillet, heat 1 T. oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, cooking in batches to prevent overcrowding the skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides, adding oil to the skillet as needed until all meatballs are golden brown. Transfer meatballs to a plate/platter.
Creamy Sauce:
In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat; add the onions; cook, stirring often for about 4 minutes or until they become translucent; add bell peppers; cook 2 - 3 minutes. Add the flour; cook, stirring constantly for about 2 - 3 minutes. This "roux" will start to get deepen in color. Slowly add the chicken broth/stock, whisking constantly until thickened a bit. Add the Cajun seasoning; mix well. Return meatballs to the skillet; reduce heat to low; simmer 8 - 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in the cream; turn off heat; season to taste.
Serve, garnished with chopped parsley.
Makes about 24 one inch meatballs.
*Some Cajun seasonings may have a higher salt content than others, so start with less if you're not sure. You can always add more salt or more seasoning if necessary.