Chicken Parm/Parmesan most likely evolved from a classic Sicilian dish of fried eggplant smothered in tomato sauce and cheese, from people immigrating to North America. To make this a really quick weeknight dish, make the meatballs earlier in the day or have them ready to go from the freezer. Add one of our favourite remade pasta sauces, from Rao’s and its cold day comfort food.
Chicken Parm Meatballs
The easiest way to Carb count a meal like this is to break it down, so that serving size dictates the CHO. The meatballs are 1 CHO each. The Vodka Sauce is 6 CHO/ ½ cup. Each Bocconcini medallion is .5 CHO and pasta is generally 15 CHO/1/2 cup.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 500 gr ground chicken or turkey
- 1 egg
- ½ cup (35 gr) Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 2 TBSP (24 gr) Stickling’s Gluten Free Rice Breadcrumbs 20.4 CHO
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp pepper
- TOTAL CHO MEATBALLS 20.4 CHO
- TOTAL WEIGHT 600 GRAMS
- 20.4 CHO DIVIDED BY 600 GRAMS = .034 CHO/GRAM
- 20 MEATBALLS – 30 GRAMS EACH (.034 CHO x 30 GR) 1.02 CHO EACH
Casserole:
- 1 jar (660 ml/685 gr) Rao’s Vodka Sauce (6 CHO/1/2 cup/125 ml) 31.68 CHO
- 8 medallions (120 gr) Bocconcini (1 CHO/30 GR) 4 CHO
- Fresh basil to garnish
- Parmesan to garnish
Instructions
Meatballs:
- Pre heat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment for the meatballs.
- Mix ground chicken, egg, rice crumbs, grated parmesan cheese and spices.
- With a #40 cookie scoop which is about 2 TBSP make 20 meatballs, 30 grams each.
- Place meatballs on parchment and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let rest to room temperature before storing in refrigerator if making ahead.
Casserole:
- Pre heat oven to 400.
- Puree Rao’s if desired and spread in the bottom of an oven proof casserole dish.
- Next place any number of meatballs desired on top of sauce and scatter Bocconcini medallions throughout. Remaining meatballs can be frozen.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes.
Start the pasta.
- Remove aluminum foil and broil until cheese is golden.
- Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before garnishing with basil and parmesan.
- Serve with pasta and vegetable of choice.
