Basil Chicken Meatballs with Marinara

Well I just kinda went out on a limb with these meatballs.....AND IT WORKED!! If you recall our resolution was to eat healthier this year, so I am on a quest to find really delicious healthy recipes. I was looking at a magazine and they had a recipe for chicken meatballs, but it was an Asian chicken meatball and I really wanted to make one that went well with one of my favorite marinara recipes. So I made one up. So if you make these you will have to bare with my approximations on my ingredients. :)

I know you can buy ground chicken at the grocery store, but I didnt have any so I used my food processor to grind the chicken and it worked fine. That way I know that I stuck 6 thawed chicken breasts and there was nothing else ground up in there if you know what I mean!! ;)

*on a side note* when I was just trying to make that winky face I accidentally hit this  ;() which looks like a whinky, smiley, kissy face doesnt it??? I might be onto the next big thing.....do you think I can make royalties???

Anyways.....back to the story....what was I talking about again??? ............Oh....yeah.....meatballs!! Did I mention that I <3 meatballs?? I do I do.....but ground beef meatballs are VERY high in calories......no really....they are....I swear. Have you ever eaten extra meatballs thinking......"well they are only one bite...I mean how many calories are in one bite after all??" Or when you are making meatballs for dinner.....you sneak like 4 while your cooking and then when you sit down with the family for dinner.....your like "Im not that hungry.....I'll only have 3 meatballs!" *birds chirping in backround* Ok....maybe Im the only one????

ALRIGHT.......BACK TO THE MEATBALLS.........these were really tender and juicy and Im gonna make them again!! Heres the recipe......FINALLY!!

2 lbs of ground chicken
1 lg Tablespoon of chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic grated with micro plane (if you dont have one......GET ONE)
1 small onion, grated on micro plane (if you dont have one...see above)

Put all ingredients in a large bowl, take off all your rings and get your hands dirty!!!! I usually get my pan hot while Im shaping my meatballs, but I make one little tester piece of meatball to make sure my salt is right. Then cook all of them!! I cooked mine in a deep stainless steel pot so I could add my pre-made marinara sauce. But when I say pre-made, I just mean I made that first and got it simmering and reducing then made my meatballs. You can find the recipe for that here!!

So the hubs and I ate our meatballs and marinara over spaghetti squash......but you can use pasta if you wanna......I'll allow that. I definately recommend the Marinara sauce though......I make the recipe just like it is except I add 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup good red wine!!! It's the bestest!!!