Baked Chicken Meatballs

By GwennW

Ingredients

• 3 slices Italian bread, torn into small bits (1 cup)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped (you can swap in Canadian Bacon if you can’t find pancetta)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided*
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F with a racks the upper thirds. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.

Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in one tablespoon oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly.

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. Form 12 meatballs and arrange in another 4-sided sheet pan.

Stir together remaining tablespoons of tomato paste and oil and brush over meatballs , then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.