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Chicken Meatballs with Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce and Chickpea Orzo

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Holiday, Main Course, Sauce
Keyword: chicken meatballs, dinner, gluten-free, italian recipes, tomato sauce
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup puffed brown rice
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lbs lean ground chicken

For the Sauce

  • 1 medium eggplant, cubed
  • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp white wine or chicken stock
  • 2 28-oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 2-3 oz baby spinach (about 2-3 big handfuls or more, if desired)

To Assemble

  • 1 bunch fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
  • 7 oz chickpea flour "rice" or orzo shaped pasta (I use Banza brand often)
  • 1 large ball of burrata, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 400ยบ F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. Spray or drizzle the pan with olive oil.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Stir thoroughly. Roll into 2-inch thick meatballs and place them 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they're golden-brown and cooked-through.

For the Sauce

  • While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. Add the sliced eggplant and mushrooms. Drizzle with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. The eggplant and mushrooms should be caramelized when done. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.
  • In a large pot over medium-heat, drizzle 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the sliced onion and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-8 minutes to sweat the onions out. Once they're getting translucent, add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more or until fragrant.
  • To the pan, add the roasted eggplant and mushrooms. Add the tomato paste and stir thoroughly. Add the white wine or chicken stock while stirring with a wooden spoon to release the fond (the brown sticky crumbs) from the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and the baby spinach. Stir thoroughly.
  • Once the tomato sauce is starting to gently bubble, add the meatballs. Reduce heat to low and let the meatballs cook in the sauce for 15-30 minutes.

To Assemble

  • While meatballs are finishing, prepare the chickpea pasta/rice.
  • Once the sauce is ready and the pasta is cooked, turn on the oven broiler. Add a spoonful of the marinara sauce to the bottom of an oven-safe skillet.
  • To the skillet, add the chickpea pasta. Then top the pasta with large scoops of the tomato sauce so that it is saturated with sauce. Place meatballs on top of the saucy pasta. Once the skillet is full (leave about 1-2 inches of space around the rim), top the meatballs with the chunks of burrata.
  • Place the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the burrata melts and starts to bubble and turn golden- brown.
  • Remove skillet from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped basil and fresh parmesan. Serve hot and enjoy!