Need some inspiration for dinner tonight? Try my chicken meatballs in tomato and basil sauce for something different. The fresh basil, chicken meatballs and Italian style cooking really make this dinner a treat for the whole family.

We are big fans of spaghetti bolognese in my household, and my tribe would eat it every week if I let them.  To mix it up a little, I make spaghetti and meatballs which they love just as much as good old fashioned spaghetti, but I I like to use chicken instead of beef sometimes too.  I also make this tomato & basil sauce because it’s so yummy with the meatballs and the fresh basil from my vegetable patch just makes it go that extra mile. There really is nothing better than fresh herbs when it comes to cooking, and chopped fresh basil would have to be one of my favourite smells in the kitchen.

I have made this recipe in a thermomix and give credit to thermomg.squarespace.com for this recipe.  In the pictures, I have used fresh breadcrumbs as I didn’t have any dried breadcrumbs at home, but if you have bread lying around that you know won’t be eaten after a few days, simply air dry it in the pantry, blitz it once dry, and you have yourself your very own homemade breadcrumbs.

Thermomix Chicken Meatballs in Tomato & Basil Sauce

Serves: 5

Prep Time	Cook Time	Total Time
40 mins	20 mins	1 hour

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 100g breadcrumbs
• 30g parmesan cheese
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• Handful of basil
• 600g chicken breast, diced
• 4 shortcut bacon, diced

Sauce

• 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 30g basil
• 70g vegetable stock paste
• 100g sun-dried tomatoes
• 50g tomato paste
• 400g tin tomatoes
• 150g water
• Spaghetti, to serve

Instructions

1. Add cheese to thermomix, grate speed 10 for 8 seconds.
2. Pour cheese onto plate with breadcrumbs, toss together.
3. Add onion, bacon and basil, chop – speed 7 for 3 seconds.
4. Add chicken, press turbo for 2 seconds, repeat until minced.
5. Roll mixture into balls, coat in breadcrumbs and cheese mixture.
6. Place meatballs in fridge for 15 minutes (cover if you are going to leave them longer).
7. Preheat oven to 180C, fan forced.
8. Cook spaghetti following packet directions.
9. Clean thermomix.
10. Add onion, garlic and basil, chop speed 5 for 3 seconds.
11. Add stock paste, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, tin tomatoes and water to bowl, cook 20 mins at 100 deg/reverse/speed.
12. Place meatballs on a lined baking tray.
13. Drizzle with oil, cook for 15-20 minutes on baking tray until golden and cooked through.
14. Serve with spaghetti, a few meatballs, a drizzle of sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

By Kat – The Organised Housewife

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ITALIAN DISH?