Jerk Chicken Meatballs (with Barbecue Pineapple Glaze)
Description
Another goodie from Bon Appétit that turned itself into a brilliant weeknight meal – enjoy!
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey)
1 small onion, finely diced AND 1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c. bread crumbs (I used panko, but will also try almond flour)
2 T. Jamaican jerk seasoning paste (I used Grace, extra hot)
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley) AND 1 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. kosher salt AND freshly ground pepper
Glaze
1 c. pineapple juice AND 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. ketchup AND 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, finely minced AND 1/2 t. onion powder
pinch of red pepper flakes AND kosher salt – both to taste
1 T. EACH cornstarch AND water
Instructions
For the meatballs – preheat the oven to 375, line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and combine well, weigh the mix and portion it out evenly into meatballs. The recipe suggested to aim for 12, but I measured out 20 so that they wouldn’t be too big. Wet hands helps a lot when shaping the meatballs!
Place them all on the prepared baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes, give them all a roll and then bake for about 5 minutes more – you want an internal temperature of at least 165.
For the glaze – while the meatballs are baking, measure out the glaze ingredients – everything but the cornstarch and water – into a medium pot or small skillet. Heat and whisk until the glaze comes to a boil and then simmer it for about 10 minutes until it reduces a bit and thickens slightly. In a separate small bowl combine the cornstarch and water and then slowly whisk this mix into the simmering glaze. The sauce should thicken quickly – taste and adjust seasonings as you wish.
When the meatballs are cooked through, take them out of the oven and add them to the glaze in your pot or skillet and turn to coat. We loved these over rice with a large stack of roasted bok choy.
