Sprig Originals's kitchen / Creamy Tomato Chicken Meatballs with Fluffy Couscous
Creamy Tomato Chicken Meatballs with Fluffy Couscous
By Sprig Originals · cooked up in Sprig
Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.
Soft, mild chicken meatballs simmered in a gently sweet tomato-cream sauce and spooned over fluffy couscous. Nothing spicy, nothing chewy, and it all happens in one skillet in under 45 minutes — the kind of dinner kids ask for again the next week.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt and black pepper
Sauce and Couscous
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup couscous
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, panko, egg, grated garlic, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper with your hands until just combined. With damp hands, roll into 20 walnut-sized meatballs (about 1 1/4 inches) and set on a plate.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook 6 to 7 minutes total, turning once or twice, until lightly golden on two sides. They will not be cooked through yet.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes plus 1/3 cup water, swirl the pan, and bring to a gentle bubble. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 12 minutes, turning the meatballs halfway, until cooked through (165°F in the centre).
- While the meatballs simmer, put the couscous in a heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt, pour over 1 1/4 cups boiling water, cover tightly with a plate and leave 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Stir the heavy cream into the sauce and simmer uncovered 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce turns rosy-pink and lightly coats the meatballs. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.
- Spoon the couscous into bowls, top with the meatballs and plenty of sauce, and serve right away.
Chef's tips
- Ground turkey works exactly the same way; keep the panko and egg so the meatballs stay soft.
- Wet hands are the trick to rolling sticky chicken mince — rinse them under cold water every few meatballs.
- For fussier eaters, blitz the sauce smooth with a stick blender before adding the cream, and finish with a handful of grated parmesan or mozzarella melted on top.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
648calories
34gprotein
55gcarbs
33gfat
Estimates only — values vary with brands and portions.
Made with Sprig
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