Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Meatballs

Name: Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Moroccan, African
Ingredients: 1⅓cups plain whole-milk yogurt; 1tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon minced or grated garlic (about 4 cloves); 2teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon); Kosher salt and black pepper; 1pound ground chicken (not 100 percent breast meat); ½cup panko bread crumbs; 1large egg, lightly beaten; 3tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving; 1tablespoon olive oil, plus more for frying; 1teaspoon light brown or granulated sugar; 1teaspoon sweet paprika; ½teaspoon ground cumin; ½teaspoon ground ginger; ¼teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

4 steps

Prep:25minCook:5min

Chicken meatballs may not be a traditionally Moroccan dish, but they work beautifully when spiced with paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and garlic, which are commonly found in the country’s cuisine. Whole-milk yogurt does double duty here: It’s used to make the meatballs moist and tender, and makes for a speedy sauce to serve with them. Don’t use ground chicken made with ultralean breasts; look for labels that show a mix of white and dark meat. (Or if you’re feeling ambitious, grind your own boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the food processor.) Serve the meatballs with couscous and a green vegetable for a flavorful weeknight dinner that’s well worth the effort.

Updated at: Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:37:02 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories297.6 kcal (15%)

Total Fat16.6 g (24%)

Carbs12 g (5%)

Sugars5 g (6%)

Protein25.2 g (50%)

Sodium330.8 mg (17%)

Fiber0.8 g (3%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

1 ⅓ cupsplain whole-milk yogurt

1 tablespoongarlic

minced or grated

2 teaspoonslemon juice

kosher salt

black pepper

1 poundground chicken

not 100 percent breast meat

½ cuppanko bread crumbs

1egg

large, lightly beaten

3 tablespoonsfresh parsley

minced, plus more for serving

1 tablespoonolive oil

plus more for frying

1 teaspoonlight brown sugar

or granulated

1 teaspoonsweet paprika

½ teaspoonground cumin

½ teaspoonground ginger

¼ teaspoonground cinnamon

3 tablespoonspine nuts

toasted, optional

Instructions

Step 1

First, make the yogurt sauce: Combine 1 cup of the yogurt, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl. Mix well, and chill until ready to use.

Step 2

Step 2 Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the remaining ⅓ cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, chicken, panko, egg, parsley, olive oil, sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly, until incorporated. Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, form meatballs about 1½-inches in diameter, then place them on a plate or sheet pan until ready to use.

Step 3

Step 3 In a large skillet, heat ⅛-inch olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the meatballs in batches, flipping occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. (If the meatballs begin browning too quickly or the oil begins smoking, lower the heat.) Transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.

Step 4

Step 4 To serve, spread the yogurt sauce in an even layer on a flat platter. Arrange the meatballs on top, and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and the pine nuts, if using. Serve hot.