Paleo Chicken Meatballs with Braised Lemon and Kale

This was a super easy and tasty recipe from Bon Appetit. They call it gluten free, I call it paleo.

I was afraid that the lemon would interfere with the taste of the chicken ~ you know, overwhelm it, but it didn’t.

So ~ here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this (olive oil, salt and pepper not shown).

Ingredients
Ingredients

You’ll be adding the shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes to a large cast iron pot or any heavy pot, then cooking this through until you can smell the fragrance of the garlic.  Ummmmmm ….

Add shallot, garlic, red pepper flakes and and scallion
Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes

The recipe has you add only 1/3 of the ground chicken to the pot to start, but in hindsight, you can actually add it all in at once. I’ve left the original directions as they are for blog purposes.

Add 1/3 of the ground chicken
Add 1/3 of the ground chicken

You’ll be mixing the ground chicken with the other ingredients then transferring it to a bowl and letting it cool.

Next you’ll be adding the remaining chicken meat, salt, and several grindings of black pepper and mixing this in the pot to just combine it.

Then you’ll be combining this to the other 1/3 chicken and making meatballs from them then adding them back to the pot along with a tad of olive oil.

Cook the meatballs until golden brown then remove them from the pot.

Next, you’ll be adding the remaining shallot and the sliced lemons to the pot and letting the lemons soften.

Add lemon slices
Add lemon slices and shallot

After the lemon slices have softened, add the broth and the meatballs to the pot and allow this to simmer.

Add broth and meatballs
Add broth and meatballs

Looking yummy already, aren’t they?

Lower the heat and cover the pot and allow this to simmer for about 10 minutes then add the kale and cook until the kale is a nice bright green ~ not more than 4 minutes.

Add kale
Add kale

Season the mixture with salt and pepper and … you’re finished!

Ready to see the recipe?

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium shallots, minced, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound ground chicken meat
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, more or less
  • 1 lemon, very thinly sliced and seeds removed
  • 2 cups low salt chicken broth
  • 1 large bunch curly kale, destemmed

Directions

  1. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
  2. Add one shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes then cook, stirring constantly until softened and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
  3. Add 1/3 of the ground chicken to the pot and cook just until cooked through, breaking up any clumps.
  4. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
  5. Add the remaining chicken meat, salt, and several grindings of black pepper. Mix just to combine.
  6. Wipe out the pot and add the remaining tablespoon of oil then heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
  7. Form meat mixture into 8 -10 meatballs about 2 inches around each then add them to the pot (mixture will be soft).
  8. Cook the meatballs until light golden brown on all sides, 6-8 minutes total. Remove meatballs to a plate and set this aside.
  9. Add the remaining shallot along with the lemon slices and cook until the lemon is tender and starting to turn light golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  10. Next, add the chicken broth and return the meatballs to the pot.
  11. Bring the broth to a simmer, lower the heat and cover.
  12. Cook meatballs for about 8-10 minutes.
  13. Add kale to the pot then cook until the kale is tender and bright green, about 4-5 minutes.
  14. Season everything with salt and pepper then remove it from the heat and get ready to serve it.

I served this wonderful dish with basil zucchini and a slice of sweet potato.

Chicken Meatballs with Braised Lemon and Kale
Chicken Meatballs with Braised Lemon and Kale

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

 

 

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