This is a perfect skillet pasta dinner for busy weeknights. Tender chicken meatballs and pasta are smothered in a tomato cream sauce making this the ultimate weeknight comfort meal for the whole family. Serve it with a salad and you’re set.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Panko
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ lb. ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp. grated or shredded onion
- 1 Tbsp. fresh minced parsley
- 1 Tbsp. sour cream
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 2 cups uncooked orecchiette pasta
- ¼ – ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup jarred Tomato Basil pasta sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup mini mozzarella balls
- fresh chopped parsley or basil
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine Panko with milk. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until milk is absorbed. To the Panko, add the chicken, egg, onion, parsley, sour cream, salt and pepper. The mixture should be quite wet.
Turn on your broiler on HIGH.
Shape the chicken mixture into 1¼-inch meatballs (I used 1 tsp. measuring spoon) and place in a single layer on a lightly coated with cooking spray or oil baking sheet.
Broil the meatballs on HIGH for 3-4 minutes (I had my oven rack set in the middle) or until lightly golden and almost fully cooked but still slightly pink on the inside. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook! Remove and let stand at room temperature while preparing pasta+sauce.
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Reserve ¼ – ⅓ cups of pasta water and drain the rest.
In a large saute pan, heat pasta sauce over medium heat. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and simmer over low/med heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and meatballs are cooked through. (Meatballs should be super moist, tender, and white on the inside).
Add cooked pasta to the sauce and the reserved pasta water. Give it couple stirs with a spoon and then add the mozzarella balls.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve immediately.
