Chicken and Zucchini Meatballs in Capsicum Sauce
Looking for a delicious and healthy meal option that the whole family will love? Try these flavourful chicken and zucchini meatballs in a sweet roast capsicum sauce! Packed with nourishing ingredients like chicken mince, zucchini, spinach, apple and capsicum, this dish is a great way to boost your child’s veggie intake. Plus, they're super easy to make - simply prep your ingredients, mix them together, and bake in the oven until golden brown and cooked through.
DIETARY: DF, GF, NF
ALLERGENS: Eggs
AGE GROUP: 8 months+
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Beginner
SERVES: 8 (makes 16 meatballs)
PREP: 15 mins
COOK: 25-30 mins
EQUIPMENT: High-speed food processor
INGREDIENTS:
Roasted Capsicum Sauce:
2 medium (500g) red capsicums, rinsed, seeded and cut into chunks
1 small (110g) brown onion, peeled and cut into wedges
3 (10g) garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tsp (2g) dried oregano
2-3 tbsp (40-60ml) extra virgin olive oil
400g can diced tomatoes, no salt
1 tbsp (20ml) tamari
1-2 tsp (5-10ml) balsamic vinegar (optional)
Chicken Meatballs:
1 regular-sized carrot (125g), peeled
1 regular-sized zucchini (130g), rinsed
1 medium apple (115g), rinsed, cored
½ brown onion (55g), peeled
1 garlic clove (10g), peeled
¼ cup (20g) spinach, rinsed
2 tbsp (10g) fresh parsley, rinsed
1 egg
1/3 cup (50g) rice breadcrumbs
600g chicken mince
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 220°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Place capsicum, onion and garlic onto the baking tray. Add oregano, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
Bake for 20-25 min, until golden brown and well roasted.
Cool slightly before adding to a blender. Add canned tomatoes and tamari and blend until smooth. Stir in vinegar if using. Pour sauce into a large casserole dish or baking tray.
Reduce oven temperature to 200°C.
Place carrot, zucchini, apple, onion, garlic, spinach, and parsley into a high-speed food processor and process until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine veggie mix with the rest of the ingredients. Adding more breadcrumbs if needed if mixture needs to be firmer.
Roll mixture into small balls (approx. ¼ cup of mixture per ball) and place into the sauce in the casserole dish.
Bake for 25-30 mins or until meatballs are cooked through.
MANDY’S SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve with brown rice and a side of vegetables.
STORING LEFTOVERS:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
TIPS:
Allergies:
For an egg-free version: Use an egg replacement such as a store-bought egg replacer, flax-egg (1tbs flaxseed meal + 3 tbs water) or chia-egg (1 tbs chia seed meal + 3 tbs water).For a vegetarian version:
Swap chicken mince for firm, crumbled tofu.Easy ingredient swaps:
Swap carrot and zucchini for vegetables of choice, such as pumpkin, parsnip, sweet potato, swede, or turnip. Swap apple for pear or for another piece of vegetable.
Additional boosters:
Swap rice breadcrumbs for pumpkin seed meal.Baby-friendly version:
Serve mashed or cut into finger food-sized pieces.For fussy eaters:
Puree all vegetables, apple, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth.
Deconstruct the meal by serving meatballs, sauce, couscous and veggies separately.