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Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Spinach & beans

July 11, 2013 by Tania 14 Comments

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These Chicken and parmesan meatballs are deliciously quick. They are simple enough for a weeknight but tasty enough to impress.

Chicken and Parmesan with beans and spinach

Kitchen Stories

The kitchen looked more like a garden shed, there was no refrigerator, or sink and all I could see was a wok in the corner. What on earth was I going to cook?

Years ago, I was traveling through Jogjakarta, Indonesia, with a friend. It was not as cosmopolitan then as it may be now and we were fresh off the plane. We struggled in the heat, to find somewhere to eat on our first day (there was no Internet in the olden days – before you ask). Throwing caution to the wind we saw a small restaurant, it looked clean, had plastic table cloths and cutlery, big pots of chilli on the tables, and a fridge full of cold drinks down the back. There was no menu so we helplessly tried to sign ” we’re gonna die if you don’t feed us”  to order when a lady sitting at a table beside us suddenly piped up, “This is Nasi Campur, there is no menu you just eat what they cook. They give you rice and maybe two or three different dishes, simple. You want?”

Chicken and parmesan balls

Speaking perfect English, the friendly middle aged lady was on holiday. She was both midwife and Matron, in a maternity hospital, an hour outside Jogjakarta.

We chatted while eating and by the end of that meal she had convinced us to visit her saying a trip to the countryside was a must. The women in her care were young unmarried Mothers, hidden away until they gave birth. The girls were bored in their confinement and also most had never met anyone outside their villages. I suspect she wanted to also show that she had western friends and that she spoke English. These two things were quite a status symbol.

Our stay would be free in exchange for me cooking dinner. She desperately wanted the girls to be able to try some western food.

And so, here I was in front of the kitchen. OMG. The pressure

chicken meat balls and white beans

“So”, she said breezing into the kitchen

“What western foods will you make?

You want a chicken? I got chicken, just killed, now plucking.” she said drawing a finger across her neck and then imitating feather pulling.

The location was quite remote. There were no shops anywhere and I would imagine if there was a shop, in all likelihood, they would not have stocked western ingredients to cook with. There really was not much to work with. She seemed to think if I was western then I could magically come up with a menu.

The garden had herbs and some sweet potatoes, eshallots, garlic, tomatoes and leafy green spinach with long stems. There were fresh bean shoots, but of course, these are hardly a western style ingredient.  No matter how I tried I couldn’t think of a way to cook a chicken western style besides roasting. That is hard to do with only a wok to work with.

So I hoped just changing the flavours for them a bit would be just as good as trying to make a western meal with no pasta, potatoes, cheese, cream, butter or anything to cook with apart from a wok.  So I deboned the chicken flattening it and marinating it with garlic and lemon. I fried it whole in the wok then added lots of chopped tomato, sugar, local fish paste, and chokos from a vine in the garden. I finished it with chopped coriander- not too foreign but different enough. To this, I added lightly steam blanched sweet potatoes in a pot over coals before deep frying them. I served the spinach leaves fresh with bean shoots and finely diced washed eshallots and a coddled egg dressing made with garlic, oil, and lemon in the mortar and pestle. Done.

Chicken meatballs

How I wish I had thought of this simple chicken dish. I didn’t have parmesan but I am sure I could have used some cold rice as a binder with egg. This is an Emma Knowles recipe from Gourmet magazine, that I have just tweaked a little.  Needless to say, it is very quick and leaves quite an impression. It could become a weeknight runaway success.

Try these quick easy recipes too:

Beef Sausages with Massaman curry

Teriyaki salmon Pickled Ginger and sesame slaw

Sweet Potato chickpea and peanut stew

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Spinach and Beans

These chicken and parmesan meatballs are deliciously quick. They are simple enough for a weeknight but tasty enough to impress.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Servings 4 serves

Ingredients
  

  • 500 gm chicken mince
  • 60 gm Parmesan cheese grated
  • 50 gm breadcrumbs preferably fresh or panko
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme

The beans

  • 750 ml chicken stock
  • 60 ml olive oil 3 Tablespoons
  • 100 gm onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 400 gm cannelini beans 1 can drained pre-cooked
  • 150 gm spinach cooked frozen or use a bunch of fresh picked
  • 100 gm red capsicum very finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoon Thyme finely chopped
  • 25 gm parmesan Extra for serving

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs, adding a pinch of salt. Roll into walnut sized balls, setting aside till all of the meat is rolled.
  • Bring the stock to simmer in a medium sized pot that is not too wide, so the meatballs are covered with the stock. Simmer 4-6 minutes till they are cooked and are firm to touch. Spoon them out and set aside.
  • Using another pot warm the oil and add the onion, garlic, capsicum and thyme and gently sweat till softened. Add the remaining poaching stock to the onions and simmer till reduced by nearly half. (There will be about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of stock remaining)
  • Add the beans, chicken and spinach and simmer till they are all warmed through ( if you are using fresh spinach this will still be the same.
  • Finish the dish with extra parmesan ( 2 tablespoons, or sprinkle on when serving). This can be served with pasta, barley or fregola, or just bread and salad
Chicken spincah and white beans
Chicken spinach and white beans
www.mykitchenstories.com.au

Filed Under: Chicken and Poultry, One pot cooking, RECIPES Tagged With: Chicken dishes, chicken meatballs, dinner in a hurry, Dinner., Emma Knowles, Family meals, Main Courses, meals in 30 minutes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tandy

    July 15, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    Tania, I have never tried using chicken mince before but now I am inspired to! Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  2. lizzie - strayed from the table

    July 15, 2013 at 10:53 am

    This looks perfect for a winter meal and simple to make too and thanks for another great story.

    Reply
  3. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    July 14, 2013 at 1:13 pm

    I’m just racking my brains with how to do a roast chicken in a wok. If you had a long time you might be able to smoke it but I think these meatballs are a much more practical solution! 😀

    Reply
  4. GourmetGetaways

    July 14, 2013 at 8:48 am

    5 stars
    I have a real thing for white beans at the moment, this sounds absolutely delicious.
    Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  5. Amanda

    July 13, 2013 at 2:49 pm

    Well done you! I tend to panic when put on the spot like that, but you rose to the occasion splendidly!

    Reply
  6. InTolerant Chef

    July 12, 2013 at 11:00 am

    I bet I would have panicked for a few minutes Tania! You did a fantastic job given the circumstances and I bet the ladies loved it. Your meatballs sound yummy too and the beans would be such a nice base xox

    Reply
  7. ChgoJohn

    July 12, 2013 at 8:34 am

    5 stars
    What an incredible story, Tania! I give you credit for taking on the challenge, for not only did you have to cook dinner, you had to do it in completely alien surroundings. That’s not an easy thing to do. This sounds like a delicious dish that you’ve posted today, one that I’m sure I’d enjoy. Thanks for sharing both, the story and recipe.

    Reply
  8. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    July 12, 2013 at 12:08 am

    5 stars
    I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when you saw the kitchen and started mumbling under your breath. Sounds like you sorted it out in fine fashion.

    These meatballs sounds marvy.

    Reply
  9. Angie@Angie's Recipes

    July 11, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    Chicken meatballs with good old Parm….must be very tasty.

    Reply
  10. Lisa the Gourmet Wog

    July 11, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    What a wonderful story! Did the local pregnant women enjoy your special ‘Western’ chicken dish?
    I’d love to do that for a local community. Travelling is not always about visiting the hot spots, it’s about these wonderful encounters with the locals, staying with them and eating together. Fabulous.
    I’ve never actually cooked with chicken mince before, I don’t know why it scares me so much. You make this look so easy and uncomplicated.

    Reply
  11. Eha

    July 11, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    Those beans are real soulfood at this cold time of year . . . love your story: hard cooking without a Masterchef pantry 😉 !

    Reply
  12. yummychunklet

    July 11, 2013 at 12:34 pm

    What delicious looking chicken meatballs!

    Reply
  13. Claire @ Claire K Creations

    July 11, 2013 at 8:58 am

    You’ve had the most amazing experiences Tania. I’d like to see the Masterchef contestants compete in a challenge like that. Love the look of these meatballs!

    Reply
  14. Hotly Spiced

    July 11, 2013 at 8:46 am

    What an interesting time. Amazing how she thought you could whip up a western meal with a wok! And the only ingredient that sounds western to me is the chicken! I love the look of your meatballs and yes, this could become a family favourite xx

    Reply

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About Me

Tania Cusack Hi, I'm Tania and this is My Kitchen Stories. I share all kinds of recipes here. Most recipes are quick and easy, just perfect for families. BUT, you could also find vegan, cakes and desserts too. Come and have a look around Read More
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