The BEST-EVER Chicken Meatballs | Spanish-Style with Tomato Sauce
These chicken meatballs in tomato sauce, known as “albóndigas de pollo en salsa de tomate,” are what Spanish comfort food is all about. They’re filled with flavors, easy to make, and done in a little over 30 minutes. Serve them next to some roasted potatoes and a bottle of Spanish wine for a fabulous meal.
To make this recipe, I used boneless chicken breast. But you can also use boneless chicken thighs if you like. Either way, I used a food processor to finely chop the chicken. If you don’t have one, just finely chop the chicken using a sharp knife.
As for the tomato sauce, I used onions, garlic, sweet smoked Spanish paprika, white wine, bay leaves, and canned tomato sauce. If wine is not your thing, you can substitute it for white grape juice or any broth of your choice with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: You can assemble the meatballs ahead of time and add them to the fridge or freezer. They will hold for up to 2 to 3 days in the fridge and freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY COOKWARE
MY CHEF´S KNIFE
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL (10% OFF Your Order with Coupon ONAFORK)
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Watch the Video Below on How to Make these Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce | Albóndigas de Pollo en Salsa de Tomate
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN MEATBALLS
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 ml
- 1/3 cup chopped onion 50 grams
- 2 boneless chicken breast 8.5 oz / 250 grams each
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs 60 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic (finely grated)
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1.25 grams
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley 5 grams
- sea salt & black pepper
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1.25 grams
- 1/4 cup dry white wine 60 ml
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can tomato sauce (similar to passata) 15 oz / 425 grams
- sea salt & black pepper
EXTRAS
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CHICKEN MEATBALLS
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Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil, after a couple of minutes, add in the 1/3 cup of chopped onion, mix continuously, after 3 minutes and the onions are lightly sautéed, turn off the heat
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Lay the chicken breast over some paper towels and pat dry, then cut each one into 1-inch (2.50 cm) pieces, add them into a food processor (in two batches to not overcrowd), and pulse 10 to 12 times or until the chicken is finely chopped (you can also finely chop the chicken with a sharp knife)
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Add the chopped chicken into a large bowl, along with the breadcrumbs, crack in the egg, add in the sauteed onions, including the olive oil in the pan, add in the grated garlic, paprika, chopped parsley, and season generously with salt & pepper, mix together until well mixed
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To shape the meatballs, grab a spoonful of the mixture and squeeze it in your hands, this is to ensure all the ingredients are well bound together, then shape it into a ball, about the size of a golf ball, if you see your mixture is too wet to work with, add in some more breadcrumbs, if it's too dry, add in some whisked egg
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Heat the same fry pan with a medium heat and add in the 1/4 cup olive oil
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After a couple of minutes, add in the chicken meatballs, all in a single layer, and fry for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden fried all around and the chicken is fully cooked through, then remove from the pan and set aside
TO MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE
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Using the same pan with the same heat, add in the chopped onion and garlic, mix continuously, after 3 minutes and the ingredients are lightly sautéed, add in the paprika, quickly mix together, then add in the white wine and the bay leaf, mix together and simmer for 3 minutes, then add in the canned tomato sauce and season with salt & pepper, mix together and then simmer
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After 3 minutes and the tomato sauce has slightly thickened, add the chicken meatballs back into the pan, once again in a single layer, gently flip each one so they're fully coated in the sauce, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until the meatballs are heated through
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Transfer the chicken meatballs and tomato sauce into serving dishes and top off with chopped parsley, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Get the Spanish Olive Oil I used to Make this Recipe (10% OFF Your Order from tienda.com with Coupon ONAFORK)
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