Healthy Chicken Feta Basil Meatballs

• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

These meatballs have become a weekly dinner staple and honestly once you make them I feel you will be the same. The softest chicken meatballs thanks to grated courgette with a pop of fresh basil, garlic and feta.

You will need (serves 4)

540 kcal | 41g protein

For the meatballs

500g chicken mince (approx 5% fat)

1 courgette, grated

1 heaped tsp garlic granules or 2 cloves finely minced

100g feta cheese, crumbled

Large handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 egg

4 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

Generous pinch of salt and pepper

For the sauce

2 red onions, finely sliced

2 red peppers, finely sliced

2 tsp harissa (or a pinch of chilli flakes)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tins whole cherry tomatoes (I like Mutti)

2 heaped tbsp tomato purée

1 chicken stock cube

Small handful of fresh basil, to finish

To serve

75–80g spaghetti per person

Parmesan, to serve

Directions

Combine the chicken mince, grated courgette, garlic, feta, basil, egg, breadcrumbs, and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well using your hands until evenly combined. Wet your hands (this stops the mixture sticking) and roll into balls aim for approx 20 balls.

Save one meatball and set aside. I found that air frying or baking at 200°C fan for 15 minutes is much easier, turning halfway until golden.

In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and break up the reserved meatball into the pan. Cook for a few minutes until browned it’ll add great flavour as the base of your sauce.

Add the red onion, red pepper, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the harissa, tomato purée, cook for 1–2 minutes more. Pour in the tinned cherry tomatoes, add a little bit of water to the tins and tip in, crumble in the stock cube. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until the tomatoes have burst and the sauce has thickened. Taste & season with salt and pepper. If the tomatoes are too bitter, stir in a pinch of sugar. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and warm through for 3 minutes.

Cook your spaghetti until al dente. Toss everything together. Finish with fresh basil and plenty of parmesan.