These sumptuous coq au vin chicken meatballs are an inspired take on a French classic and a new family favorite.
Ingredients
MEATBALLS:
1 lb ground chicken thighs
73 g diced onion
8.3 g chopped garlic
4 g olive oil
1 egg
10 g milk
53.3 g panko bread crumbs
13.3 g salt (about two and a half teaspoons)
2 g pepper
0.5 g ground coriander
2 g ground fennel seed
0.5 g chili flakes
1.7 g ground dried bay leaf
1 g ground dried thyme
66.6 g button mushrooms
3.6 g olive oil
MEATBALL SAUCE
1.3 cups French red wine, reduced by half
0.3 cup red wine vinegar, reduced by half
1.3 cup low sodium chicken broth, reduced by half
0.3 cup dried cherries
Instructions
Sweat garlic and onion in olive oil until translucent.
If you have a food processor at home, pulse the mushrooms until finely chopped. If not, you can cut by hand. Cook mushrooms on high heat in a a large pan to release all liquid. Stirring constantly until fully cooked into almost a paste. Combine mushroom paste, onions, garlic and spices in a bowl. Let cool.
Combine eggs and milk and whisk together. Combine all ingredients and mix with your hands just until combined. Do not over mix. Scoop into balls using a 1.5oz ice cream scoop or do it by hand.
Chill the meatballs - this step is important! When ready to serve, fry in a pan until crispy and heat through in the meatball sauce.
To make the sauce: reduce all of the liquids and rehydrate the cherries in the reduced red wine in a pot over medium heat until plump. Combine everything in a blender and puree until it forms a smooth sauce. I like to then reheat the sauce all together, before serving.
Recipe by Saffron and Honey at https://saffronandhoney.com/coq-au-vin-meatballs/