I served these delicious chicken meatballs with a hot with a tangy tomato sugo (sauce) and a big green salad, but you can serve them with pasta, rice or in a Panini. The meatballs freeze well, too – great for throwing together a meal when you’re short on time.

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INGREDIENTS

450g free-range chicken fillets
1 clove of garlic, peeled
4 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 large free-range egg
Olive oil
1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped to serve
1 handful of fresh basil, chopped to serve
Sea salt and black pepper

Balsamic & Tomato Sugo:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar, optional
2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
1 handful basil, torn
Chicken stock

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METHOD
Serves 4-5 people
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes

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Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In a food processor with the blade attachment, blitz the chicken until it becomes a mince. Add in the garlic, a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, parsley, basil, parmesan, and the egg and pulse briefly until the mixture is blended enough to be moulded into balls but is still a little chunky. Roll the mixture into small balls about 2.5cm wide.

Place a non-stick frying pan on high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the meatballs until nicely golden.

While the meatballs are browning, make your sugo. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Tip in the tinned tomatoes, add in the torn basil, and the sugar/xylitol, then fill the empty tin a third of the way with boiling chicken stock and pour in. Cook over a high heat for 8 minutes. Then pour in the balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

Transfer the browned meatballs to a casserole dish and pour over the sauce. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Serve with some chopped parsley, basil and shaved parmesan scattered on top.