Garlic Butter Chicken Polpette

Let's face it: chicken meatballs often fall short. There's not enough fat, enough flavor, to make them memorable. This version by @chefamanda.co breaks the mold by adding garlic butter. While the recipe calls for roasted garlic, I've switched it for all raw, too, and it's still delicious, if not a little sharper. These are fantastic with our basic tomato sauce or pesto. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons European style butter, unsalted
• 6 cloves garlic, roasted*
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ teaspoon preserved lemon paste
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
•  1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 pound ground chicken
• ⅓ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
• ½ cup plain breadcrumbs 
• Sea salt 
• Tellicherry pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375℉. Spray a foil lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or rub a broiling pan with oil.

In a small pot, melt butter over low heat and smash roasted garlic into the melted butter. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon paste. Allow butter to gently simmer for a minute or two, and remove from heat.

In another large bowl, beat the egg until light and fluffy. Add the oregano and basil.

With a fork or your hands, mix in the chicken, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and melted butter until all ingredients are well incorporated. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Shape mixture into 8 spheres and arrange on the baking sheet so that they do not touch.

Bake the polpettes in the upper third of the oven for about 20 - 25 minutes or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165℉.

*Roast garlic in advance!