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Chicken Meatballs with Mushroom and Basil Sauce

Sometimes a lighter, fresher-tasting meatball is called for, and these thyme-scented chicken meatballs in a mildly nutty mushroom and basil sauce fit the bill—while still keeping meatballs’ comfort-food bona fides, of course. They are dairy-free and gluten-free (and can be made nut-free). Plus, they are kosher for Passover and a nod to Jewish-Italian traditions of serving meatballs for Jewish festivals. Potatoes stand in for breadcrumbs, which I think adds pleasant taste and texture; the wine brightens the flavor of both the chicken and sauce, but you can substitute broth for it if you like. Serve over nondairy mashed potatoes at Passover. This recipe yields a generous amount, can be made in advance, and freezes well. A small 187 milliliter bottle of white wine will provide enough for both the meatballs and sauce.
Print Recipe
Servings: 50 to 60 meatballs and 3½ to 4 cups of sauce (Meat)
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 2 medium baking potatoes about 1 pound, scrubbed and pierced in several places
  • 2 pounds ground chicken breast
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon scant salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for frying
Sauce
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 3 cups thinly sliced cremini or baby portobello mushrooms
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup Pinot Grigio
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream optional, see note below
  • 11/4 cups cashew meal or dry roasted unsalted whole cashews that have been finely ground in a food processor (see note below for alternative to using nuts)
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips (chiffonade) or coarsely chopped (reserve some for garnish if you like)

Method
 

For the Meatballs
  1. Loosely cover the potatoes on a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high until cooked all the way through, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skins, and push potatoes through a potato ricer or grate using the small holes on a box grater. Spread out on a plate to cool slightly while you prep the other ingredients for the meatballs and sauce.
  2. In a large bowl, gently combine the chicken, egg, onion, thyme, salt, pepper, wine, and 1 cup of the potatoes (save any leftover potatoes for another use). Using lightly oiled hands, form chicken mixture into 1- to 1½ -inch balls. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a nonstick Dutch oven or other deep-sided pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to the pan, making sure they don’t touch each other. Once the bottoms are brown, nudge them gently with a spoon to brown them on at least two sides, 6 to 8 minutes (they do not need to be cooked through). Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining balls.
For the Sauce
  1. After all the meatballs are fried, drizzle a little more olive oil into the hot empty pan and add the shallots, mushrooms, and 1 tablespoon of wine. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are softened and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, the ½ cup wine, and, if using, the coconut cream. Bring to a boil. Gently stir in the meatballs. Cook loosely covered and at a low boil for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Increase the heat and return to a boil. Stir in the cashew meal or ground cashews a spoonful at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. The sauce will be like a thin gravy. Stir in the basil, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
  3. Serve warm over rice, pasta, or, at Passover, nondairy mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh basil. Can also be set out on a buffet in a warming dish with toothpicks.
  4. If making in advance, cover and refrigerate and then reheat gently over low heat at serving time. The recipe also freezes well.

Notes

• For Coconut Cream: Optional—the recipe tastes fine without it but coconut cream adds a little creaminess and subtle flavor to the sauce. To get the coconut cream, start with 1 can whole unsweetened coconut milk (I had very good results from Native Forest unsweetened organic coconut milk, which is certified kosher). Refrigerate the can for 24 hours or freeze it for 1 hour (don’t freeze much longer or it could freeze solid, which is a real pain, trust me). The cream should separate from the water and rise to the top; just open the can and spoon out the cream for the recipe. Leftover cream freezes well. At this time, there is no canned coconut milk certified kosher for Passover, so for the holiday, omit the coconut cream.
• Nut-Free Option: Omit the cashews. To thicken the sauce, add 1/3 cup potato starch to a small bowl, and stir in 1/3 cup of water to make a thick liquid. When the meatballs and sauce come to a full boil, stir in the starch liquid a little at a time, using only what you need to slightly thicken.