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
No Reviews
Ingredients
Batch Cook
Multiply the recipe to prep extras for the week.| 2 medium red capsicums, rinsed, seeded and cut into chunks | |
| 1 small brown onion, peeled and cut into wedges | |
| 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled | |
| 2tsp dried oregano | |
| 2-3tbsp extra virgin olive oil | |
| 400g can diced tomatoes, no salt | |
| 1tbsp tamari | |
| 1-2tsp balsamic vinegar (optional) | |
| 1 regular-sized carrot, peeled | |
| 1 regular-sized zucchini, rinsed | |
| 1 medium apple, rinsed, cored | |
| 1/2 brown onion, peeled | |
| 1 garlic clove, peeled | |
| 1/4 cup spinach, rinsed | |
| 2tbsp fresh parsley, rinsed | |
| 1 egg | |
| 1/3cup rice breadcrumbs | |
| 600g chicken mince |
Equipment
| High-speed food processor |
Directions
1.
Preheat oven to 220°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Mark as complete
2.
Place capsicum, onion and garlic onto the baking tray. Add oregano, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
Mark as complete
3.
Bake for 20-25 min, until golden brown and well roasted.
Mark as complete
4.
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.
Mark as complete
5.
Reduce oven temperature to 200°C.
Mark as complete
6.
Place carrot, zucchini, apple, onion, garlic, spinach, and parsley into a high-speed food processor and process until smooth.
Mark as complete
7.
In a large bowl, combine veggie mix with the rest of the ingredients. Adding more breadcrumbs if needed if mixture needs to be firmer.
Mark as complete
8.
Roll mixture into small balls (approx. ¼ cup of mixture per ball) and place into the sauce in the casserole dish.
Mark as complete
9.
Bake for 25-30 mins or until meatballs are cooked through.
Mark as complete
Notes
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.
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.
