Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Cook's Country is the only food magazine I subscribe to and with good reason. There is at least one recipe I must make at once in each issue. The August/September issue, however, was something else entirely. I've already made several of the recipes and each is a gem. I'll start with this hybrid of 2 favorites--chicken a la parmigiana and meatballs. I have altered the recipe very slightly to make it more healthy.

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

5 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

1 (28) oz can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano, please)

1 (15) oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt, divided

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

11 Ritz crackers

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 lb ground chicken (93% lean)

4 oz shredded, part skim mozzarella

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce,  1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low. Cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Place crackers in a sealed ziplock bag and crush fine with a rolling pin.

Combine crumbs, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, pepper, remaining oregano and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 10 portions and roll each portion into a ball.

Place a few spoonsful of sauce in an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish. Arrange the meatballs in the dish and cover with 1 - 1 1/2 cups of the sauce (you may freeze the rest; recipe makes about 3 cups of sauce). Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes unti the cheese is beginning to brown.

Serve with crusty bread and a salad or use to top pasta.

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TASTE NOTES

I wasn't prepared for just how delicious these meatballs would be! The buttery Ritz crackers gave the sensation that you were eating a piece of breaded chicken parm. The sauce was garlicky and tasted as though it were more work than it was. This is definitely a keeper. The meatball ingredients can be doubled to feed more. Two meatballs was more than enough for me with some garlic bread and salad.