Description
These French Onion Chicken Meatballs are a flavorful twist on classic meatballs, featuring tender ground chicken mixed with Gruyère cheese and a savory French onion-inspired sauce. Perfectly baked and smothered with caramelized onions and melted Gruyère, this dish offers a rich, comforting meal that's easy to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
For the meatballs
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, for baking sheet
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tsp. freshly chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425°. Line a large baking sheet with foil and rub it with the extra-virgin olive oil to prevent sticking and help the meatballs brown beautifully.
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, shredded Gruyère, bread crumbs, freshly chopped parsley, beaten egg, and minced garlic. Season the mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix everything well until combined. Shape the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce: While the meatballs bake, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook them gently, stirring often, until they become very soft and golden brown, which should take about 25 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Pour in the low-sodium beef broth and add the freshly chopped thyme. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until slightly thickened, approximately 10 minutes.
- Combine and finish the dish: Once the meatballs are done baking, transfer them carefully into the skillet with the onion sauce. Sprinkle the shredded Gruyère cheese evenly over the meatballs. Cover the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the meatballs are warmed through and the Gruyère has melted into a gooey, delicious topping. Garnish with extra fresh thyme and serve warm.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the bread crumbs with gluten-free bread crumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers.
- If ground chicken is unavailable, ground turkey can be used as a substitute with similar results.
- You can prepare the onion sauce ahead of time and reheat gently when ready to serve.
- To ensure juicy meatballs, avoid overmixing the meat mixture as it can make the meatballs dense.
- Leftover meatballs store well and can be reheated in the sauce for a quick meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
