Description
These za’atar chicken meatballs are full of vibrant herbs, warm spices, and a little crunch from pistachios. Hemp hearts blend into the ground chicken, helping a modest amount of meat go further while making the meatballs satisfying and tender. They cook in about eight minutes in a skillet and are delicious with a simple tahini sauce, whether you serve them for dinner, pack them for lunch, or put them out as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (with a garlic press)
- 2 tablespoons raw pistachios or walnuts
- 3 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste depending on your za’atar
- 1 small handful fresh mint
- About 7 sage leaves, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon black garlic granules, optional
- 450 g (about 1 lb) ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, for the skillet
Instructions
- Add the shallot, garlic, nuts, hemp hearts, za’atar, dried parsley, salt, mint, sage, and black garlic granules to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the ground chicken and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and mix with clean hands until evenly combined.
- Form small meatballs, using about 1 tablespoon of mixture for each.
- Heat enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs one by one, leaving a little space between them. In my 10-inch All-Clad sauté pan (3 qt), I cook them in two batches.
- Cook each batch for about 3 minutes on the first side, until the meatballs are golden and release easily. Turn them, pressing very gently if needed so they don’t roll back, and cook for about 3 minutes on the other side. Toss them around the pan for about 2 minutes more to brown the remaining sides and cook them through. Each batch takes about 8 minutes.
Notes
If your za’atar contains no salt, you may need about 1/4 teaspoon more salt. If you want to test before shaping the meatballs, take one small piece of the mixture and fry in oil. Taste it and see if it needs more salt.
You can omit the sage and black garlic granules. If omitting the black garlic, add one extra garlic clove if you like a more intense garlic flavor.
Use hemp hearts, also called hulled hemp seeds, rather than whole hemp seeds.
