Hailey Bieber’s Healthy Chicken Cottage Cheese Meatballs
These tomato‑rich chicken meatballs are packed with protein, fresh basil, and a hint of chilli. Cottage cheese keeps them moist while the vibrant sauce makes for a satisfying, healthy dinner.
Recipe by Emily English· Structured by ReelsMeals
From: Instagram(view original)
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Ingredients
- a handful rocket
Meatballs
- 1 1/10 lb lean chicken mince
- 0.5 lemon zest
- 1 egg
- 2 1/10 oz breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp cottage cheese
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion
- 1 red chilli
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes
- 14 oz passata
- a handful fresh basil
- to taste parmesan
- to taste cottage cheese
Instructions
- 1In a large bowl, combine the lean chicken mince, lemon zest, egg, breadcrumbs, dried oregano, minced garlic, and heaped tablespoon of cottage cheese. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then mix until just combined; avoid over‑mixing to keep the meatballs tender.
- 2Wet your hands with a little water and shape the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs.
- 3Preheat an air fryer to 410°F (410°F). Arrange the meatballs in a single layer and air‑fry for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until they are nicely browned. Alternatively, grill them on a very hot grill pan until browned on all sides. The meatballs do not need to be fully cooked at this stage, as they will finish cooking in the sauce.
- 4While the meatballs are cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion with a pinch of salt and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
- 5Add the minced garlic and finely chopped red chilli to the skillet and cook for another minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- 6Stir in the heaped tablespoon of tomato purée and cook for 1–2 minutes, allowing the flavor to deepen and the colour to turn a richer red.
- 7Pour in the canned chopped tomatoes and passata, season with additional salt and pepper, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Cook for roughly 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.
- 8Gently nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and have absorbed some of the sauce’s flavor.
- 9Remove the pan from heat and finish the dish by folding in the torn fresh basil and sprinkling a generous amount of grated Parmesan over the top.
- 10Serve the meatballs and sauce on a plate, adding a dollop of cottage cheese, extra grated Parmesan, and a few more torn basil leaves. Accompany with toasted sourdough bread or a handful of rocket for a fresh, peppery contrast.
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Hailey Bieber’s Healthy Chicken Cottage Cheese Meatballs?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Hailey Bieber’s Healthy Chicken Cottage Cheese Meatballs recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Hailey Bieber’s Healthy Chicken Cottage Cheese Meatballs recipe come from?
- It was shared by Emily English on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.