Ground chicken has the unfortunate tendency to run a touch dry. Not so in this recipe. Grated zucchini holds in the moisture, keeping these meatballs delightfully light and tender, without a hint of dryness. The rhubarb barbeque sauce makes for a fun finishing touch, but feel free to try your favorite barbeque sauce here as well.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs zucchini
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- ½ a large onion
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1½ tsp cumin
- 1lb ground chicken
- Rhubarb Barbeque Sauce
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 425°. Cut 2 of the zucchini into ½-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a plate, season with salt, and set aside.
- Working over a large bowl, coarsely grate the remaining zucchini with a box grater. Grate the half-onion into the bowl as well. Add the bread crumbs, the cumin, and about ½ tsp salt. Toss until well combined. Add the chicken to the bowl along with the herbs of your choice. Toss gently until completely combined.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Form the chicken mixture into meatballs, using about 2-3 tbsp of mixture for each ball. Place them on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, transfer to the oven, and roast for 10 minutes.
- As they meatballs roast, pat the reserved, sliced zucchini dry, then lightly coat with olive oil. Season with pepper.
- Add the sliced zucchini to the empty half of the baking sheet. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through and the zucchini is golden on the underside, another 20-25 minutes.
- As the meatballs finish baking, warm the rhubarb barbeque sauce in a small pot on the stove.
- To serve, generously brush the meatballs all over with the barbeque sauce. Add a few extra brushes of sauce over each portion once plated, just for a little extra oomph. Garnish with fresh herbs and a little salt. Enjoy hot.
