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Colorful Chicken Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables and Rainbow Pasta - photo 1
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Colorful Chicken Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables and Rainbow Pasta

Pikantne Kids' Lunches Main dishes Pasta and Risotto 45 min Easy 4 wyświetleń ~27.92 PLN - (0)
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Description

This dish is a real hit among the youngest foodies! Juicy and incredibly tender meatballs made from ground chicken, in which we've cleverly hidden a portion of healthy vegetables – carrots and zucchini. Thanks to them, the meatballs are not only more nutritious but also wonderfully moist. The whole dish is bathed in a mild, slightly sweet tomato sauce, seasoned with aromatic herbs, which children love. Served with colorful pasta, the dish transforms into a cheerful, rainbow composition on the plate that encourages even the pickiest eaters to dig in. It's the perfect idea for a nutritious, balanced, and above all, tasty lunch for the whole family, which you can prepare in less than an hour.

Składniki (15)

Servings:
4
  • Ground chicken breast 500 g
  • Carrot 1.3 szt.
  • Zucchini 0.6 szt.
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Egg 1 szt.
  • Breadcrumbs 45 g
  • Garlic 2 ząbki
  • Tomato passata 500 g
  • Tri-color pasta 300 g
  • Olive oil 45 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • Dried oregano 1 łyżeczka
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Sweet paprika powder 1.5 łyżeczki
  • Parmesan 20 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~27.92 PLN (6.98 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of the meatball mixture

1

Start by preparing the vegetables. Wash the carrot and zucchini thoroughly. Peel the carrot using a vegetable peeler. Then grate both vegetables on a fine grater. Place the grated vegetables in separate bowls.

Ingredients: Carrot, Zucchini
Use a fine grater to shred the vegetables as finely as possible - this way they will be practically invisible in the finished meatballs. You can involve your child in washing the vegetables under your supervision.
2

Transfer the grated zucchini to a fine sieve or wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess water very thoroughly. This is a very important step! If you skip it, the mixture for the meatballs will be too runny and they may fall apart during cooking. Peel one onion (75g) and one clove of garlic (5g) and grate them on a fine grater or chop them very finely.

Ingredients: Zucchini, Onion, Garlic
You will squeeze out surprisingly much water from the zucchini. The better you drain it, the better the consistency of the meatballs will be. Grating the onion instead of chopping it will make its flavor milder and evenly distributed in the meat.
3

In a large bowl, place the ground chicken. Add the squeezed zucchini, grated carrot, grated onion with garlic, breadcrumbs, and crack in one egg. Season the mixture with salt (about 2 pinches) and pepper (1 pinch). If using, also add the optional sweet paprika powder.

Ingredients: Ground chicken breast, Carrot, Zucchini, Onion, Egg, Breadcrumbs, Garlic, Salt, Ground black pepper, Sweet paprika powder
All ingredients should be in one bowl, which will make mixing easier. Do not add all the salt just yet, the sauce will also be seasoned. You can let the child help with adding the dry ingredients.
4

Now mix all the ingredients thoroughly. It's best to do this with clean hands, kneading the mixture for about 2-3 minutes until it becomes uniform and compact. Do not knead too long, or the meatballs will become tough. Wet your hands with cold water, take small portions of the mixture (the size of a walnut), and shape them into neat, round meatballs with a diameter of about 3-4 cm.

Mixing by hand allows you to combine the ingredients well and feel the consistency of the mixture. Wetting your hands with water is a simple trick that prevents the meat from sticking to your hands and makes it easier to shape perfect balls.

Cooking meatballs and sauce

5

In a large, wide pot or deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the meatballs side by side. Fry them in batches for about 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are lightly browned on all sides. They do not need to be cooked through on the inside. Transfer the fried meatballs to a plate.

Ingredients: Olive oil
Use a non-stick frying pan. Don't add too many meatballs at once, as they will start to stew instead of fry. A light sear 'seals' the meat, ensuring the meatballs stay juicy while cooking in the sauce.
6

In the same pan where the meatballs were fried (if necessary, add the remaining tablespoon of oil), sauté the second finely chopped onion (75g) and the second clove of garlic (5g) pressed through a garlic press. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it will become bitter.

Ingredients: Olive oil, Onion, Garlic
The leftovers from frying the meatballs in the pan will add depth of flavor to the sauce. Scrape them with a wooden spoon while frying the onion.
7

Pour the entire tomato passata into the sautéed onion. Add dried oregano and season the sauce with a pinch of salt. Mix everything and bring to a boil. When the sauce starts to gently bubble, carefully add the previously browned meatballs.

Ingredients: Tomato passata, Dried oregano, Salt
Crush the dried oregano in your hands before adding it to the sauce - this will release more aroma. The meatballs should be mostly submerged in the sauce.
8

Reduce the heat to the minimum, cover the pot or pan with a lid, and cook everything for about 20 minutes. During this time, the sauce will thicken slightly, and the meatballs will cook through. In the meantime, put water on for the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the instructions on the package, so that it is al dente (slightly firm).

Ingredients: Tri-color pasta
To check if the meatball is ready, take one out of the sauce and cut it in half. It should have a uniform color inside, with no pink traces. Cooking the pasta al dente is important, as it will continue to cook slightly when mixed with the hot sauce.

Serving

9

Drain the cooked pasta. Place a portion of pasta on plates, generously drizzle with tomato sauce, and top with a few meatballs. If desired, sprinkle the dish with grated Parmesan for extra flavor. Serve immediately while hot.

Ingredients: Parmesan
You can mix the pasta with some of the sauce directly in the pot to ensure each strand is coated, and then add the rest of the sauce with the meatballs on top. This will ensure that the dish is not dry.

Fun Fact

💡

The word 'klops' comes from German (Klops), where it means a ball of minced meat. Dishes of this type are popular all over the world, from Italian 'polpette' to Swedish 'köttbullar', and each cuisine has its unique take on them.

Best for

Rodzinny obiad w tygodniu Przyjęcie urodzinowe dla dzieci Szybki i zdrowy posiłek

Tips

🍽️ Serving

To make the dish even more appealing to children, you can arrange the meatballs and pasta on the plate in the shape of a smiling face or a sun. Serve with an extra portion of vegetables, such as 'trees' made from steamed broccoli or sticks of fresh cucumber and bell pepper. Sprinkling the dish with grated yellow cheese that melts deliciously is another way to encourage your little one to eat.

🥡 Storage

Cooked meatballs in sauce can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It is best to store the pasta separately to prevent it from becoming soggy. The dish is great for freezing (without the pasta) – after cooling, transfer the meatballs with sauce to freezer bags or containers. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then heat slowly over low heat until hot.

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