Meatballs in Marinara over Spaghetti Squash

HERB AND LEMON CHICKEN MEATBALLS

with a Spicy Marinara Sauce and Spaghetti Squash

 
CHICKENMEATBALLSWITHMARINARA
 

THE EASIEST CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Ingredients:

1lb of Organic Ground Chicken

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 egg, whisked

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of 100% pure organic maple syrup

1/3 cup of whole wheat unsalted breadcrumbs or panko

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon onion powder

zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F

  2. In a bowl mix together all the ingredients expect for the chicken. This is so you don’t over mix the chicken and get dry meatballs. No Bueno.

  3. Add in the chicken, and gently mix it in with your fingers. Be careful not to over mix. Just make sure everything is fully incorporated together.

  4. With your hands or a medium cookie scooper, roll the chicken into golf-sized balls. Evenly spread about 1 inch apart on a non-stick baking dish.

  5. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through but not over done. About 12 minutes test the doneness on one meatball. I use the scoop so they come out a bit smaller and take less time in the oven to cook.

I use the OXO good grips medium cookie scoop to save so much time. I scoop them into a mini muffin baking sheet. Love this method for meatballs! Makes it quick and easy. Here’s the link.


Prepare the Spaghetti Squash:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

  2. Wash the squash and dry the squash, then cut it lengthwise from stem end to to other end so you have two long boats. Note: Cut about an inch off the bottom first so you can stand it upright. This will make it easier to cut in half

  3. With a fork poke holes into the skin side to help vent and cook the squash. Drizzle the cut side with olive oil salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down into the oven for about 45 minutes- 1hr depending on the size. Test with a fork on the skin side. It should be tender and golden brown.

  4. Remove from the oven and let cool before handling. Flip it so cut side is now up. With a fork scrape the inside of the squash and collect the strands into a bowl. Discard the skin. Top with marinara and meatballs and enjoy!

For the Marinara:

Buy your favorite marinara already made or use my simple recipe.

Ingredients:

1 28 oz can whole peeled san marzano tomatoes

1 cup yellow or white onion, diced

2 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flake

1 tablespoon organic brown sugar

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon salt (to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes)

½ teaspoon black pepper


Directions:

  1. Heat a dutch oven or deep pan to medium high with 2 tablespoons olive oil

  2. Add onions and garlic and sautee until softened and the onions are translucent

  3. Add Italian seasoning, chili flake, salt, and pepper and stir for 2 minutes.

  4. Add the Tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes in with your hands. Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for about 25 minutes.

  5. Puree until smooth with an immersion blender or a blender, and serve.

Entreésnazareth sanders