Chicken & Prosciutto Meatballs

Flavorful chicken and prosciutto meatballs from The Barefoot Contessa

It’s not always easy to find or invent new recipes every week, so a lot of times I revisit past favorites and find new ways to change and improve them. These chicken meatballs are the lovechild of my turkey meatball recipe and one I found from an Ina Garten cookbook and they are to-die-for. The combination of ground sausage, ground chicken, and a few pieces of prosciutto give the meatballs so much flavor that I even like them better than beef (and I never, ever say that). Using chicken and baking them in the oven really cuts down on fat and calories, which means you can eat a lot of them without feeling guilty. I served them with some whole wheat spaghetti, but they would also be great over brown rice, in a sub sandwich, or just on their own.

Related Recipes:
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Sausage Ragu & Parmesan Polenta
- Chicken & Chard Penne

Chicken & Prosciutto Meatballs:

• Combine 1/3 c. panko breadcrumbs and 1/4 c. milk in a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Add in 1 lb. ground chicken,* 2/3 lb. fresh Italian chicken sausage (casings removed), 2 oz.** thinly sliced prosciutto, 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley, 1 pinch chili flakes, 1 beaten egg, 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Mix together with your hands until you can no longer see the breadcrumbs.
• Roll into 2" large meatballs and place on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
• Brush the top of each meatball with olive oil and place in a 400°F oven.
• Bake meatballs for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce to a simmer in a large pan.
• Transfer meatballs to the pan of marinara and let them simmer for 10 minutes.
• Divide onto plates and serve with whole wheat spaghetti.

Serves four - six
*Use dark meat or the meatballs will be too dry.
**About 4 thin slices.