Baked Chicken Meatballs

What you'll need

  • 3 slices Italian bread, torn into small bits (1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped
  • 1 unit small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 unit large egg
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
  • 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about 4 minutes.
  2. Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in one tablespoon oil with a half-teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes.
  3. Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley.
  4. Form 12 meatballs and arrange in another 4-sided sheet pan.
  5. Stir together remaining tablespoons of tomato paste and oil and brush over meatballs (the paste/oil does not mix in any cohesive manner, but just smoosh it on and run with it), then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes (though mine took a good 5 minutes longer).

Submitted by: Liz

Thanks to: Gourmet