I have not had pasta for a few months and this whole month have been very cold on top of that with price increasing for all my favourite ingredients. Today, opted for chicken rather than beef red meat. While browsing for different recipes to make chicken meatballs; I discovered that I can bake them in an air fryer.

Google: “Chicken polpette are essentially chicken meatballs. They are small, spherical pieces of chicken meat, often made with ground chicken and other ingredients like breadcrumbs, eggs, and spices, then cooked until golden brown and tender. They can be baked, fried, or simmered in sauce. Simmering them in a rich tomato sauce is a popular method. Chicken polpette can be served with pasta, vegetables, or even as a part of chicken soup. Some recipes may include ricotta cheese, or even add other vegetables to the mix.”

I am glad that I can use cooked and fresh baked chicken, although warm chicken is easier to shred; by mincing them in a food processor. Addition, I am trying to bake my chicken meatballs in an air fryer. I can cook like an Italian. It was successful, flavourful, hearty, and delicious. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients

300-500 g roasted chicken
250 g big shell pasta
50 g black olives or green olives
2-3 thick slices of ciabatta bread, of 5 days old stale bread, crust cut off
1 packet baby spinach leaves
2 small carrots, cut to bite size
1/2 c breadcrumbs, if needed
1 1/2 c chicken stock
1/2 c white wine
1/2 c milk
1/4 c water
1 large egg
2 Tbs capers
1 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tsp minced garlic or garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder
1 bottle of Italian herbs and onion passata sauce, 420 ml
1 canned crushed tomato, 210 g
1 Tbs tomato paste
dried parsley
dried oregano
Italian seasoning
salted boiling water for cooking pasta
Parmesan Pecorino cheese
salt
pepper
oil
water
1/2 Tsp sugar (OPT)
chili flakes (OPT)

Method

Remove any skin, bones, or visible fat from the chicken pieces. If necessary, cut the chicken into more manageable pieces to fit in the food processor. Set aside.

Cut the bread into small cubes, and place them into a bowl with the milk and 1/4 c water; tossing it together, and set aside until the milk is absorbed about 10 minutes. Put the soaked bread, olives, capers, 2 Tsp minced garlic, 1 Tsp onion powder and 4 Tbs Parmesan Pecorino into food processor.

Use the pulse function (not a high or low setting) to pulse (minced/blitz) until combined. Add the chicken, dried parsley, dried oregano, 1 Tsp Italian seasoning and crack in the egg, then pulse very briefly, until the mixture is blended enough to be moulded into balls but is still a little chunky.

Lightly oil your hands, take off a small piece of the mixture and gently roll it between your hands to form 1-inch (2½-cm) meatballs about 1 full Tbs each. (if the mixture is a little too wet to work with, add some extra breadcrumbs until it comes together). Line a baking tray to put the chicken meat balls. When done making chicken meat balls.

Cook big shell pasta in salted boiling water until al dente about 15-18 minutes. Drain big shell pasta and put back into the pot. Preheat the air fryer to 200 C for about 5-10 minutes. Place chicken meat balls on a single layer in the air fryer, and bake them for 8-9 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking time. Do them in batches if air fryer is small. My air fryer is 7 L. I do them in batches.

With the last batch of chicken meat balls cooking in the air fryer, heat 2 Tbs oil in the saucepan over a medium heat, cook 1 Tbs minced garlic for 3 minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Add passata sauce, crushed tomato, 1 c chicken stock and carrots and cook until tender about 4-5 minutes. Stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. If your tomatoes taste slightly acidic, stir in the sugar to sweeten.

Once carrots are softened, add baby spinach leaves, browned cooked chicken meat balls and wine in. Let wine evaporated then add in the remaining chicken stock, the drained big shell pasta, 1 Tsp Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Bring to simmer on low heat, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkles some Parmesan Pecorino cheese over the pasta. Spoon on to bowls and scatter chili flakes over the top. Serve with a glass of red wine. Enjoy!!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2024/05/05/chicken-meatballs-vegetables-big-shells-pasta/

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