This recipe for chewy and fibrous chicken meatballs uses ground chicken, offering a delightful texture that’s both chewy and fibrous. While meatballs have traditionally been associated with beef, there’s now a wide variety of meatball types, including chicken, shrimp, crab, and fish.
Using different types of meat allows you to adjust the recipe to your taste and budget, as chicken is generally more affordable than beef. Preparing chewy and crunchy homemade chicken meatballs for sale is not as hard as it seems. Check out the methods and tips below!
Tips for Making Chewy Meatballs
Here are some tips to achieve that perfect chewiness in your chicken meatballs using 1 kg of chicken:
- Blend Chicken Until Sticky: Ensure the chicken is ground until sticky in a blender. This helps the meat bind more water, enhancing the texture without needing much flour. Blend the chicken and spices until sticky, add garlic, and continue blending until the mixture is smooth and sticky.
- Boil Meatballs in Hot Water: Once you’ve shaped the meatballs, immediately cook them in hot water to maintain their shape. Heat the water until boiling, then reduce to a simmer before adding the freshly shaped meatballs.
- Add Baking Powder: For chewy and fibrous chicken meatballs, incorporate baking powder. This ingredient helps achieve the desired chewy texture. After blending the chicken with the spices until sticky, add egg whites, fried onions, and tapioca flour. Gradually mix in ice water and stir until all ingredients are evenly combined.
- Simmer Meatballs Gently: After shaping the meatballs, don’t cook them in boiling water right away to prevent them from breaking and losing their shape. Ensure you cook the chicken meatballs on low heat until they are thoroughly cooked.
Enjoy experimenting with this versatile and delicious chicken meatball recipe, perfect for those who love a twist on the classic meatball dish!
Alternative Methods for Preparing Chewy and Fibrous Chicken Meatballs Without a Blender
- Using a Knife:
- Use a sharp knife and a cutting board to finely mince the chicken.
- Start by mixing small pieces of chicken with small ice shards.
- Slice the chicken in one direction into thin pieces, then flip the meat to ensure even mincing.
- Using a Food Processor:
- The food processor offers a similar result to a blender, but with the added convenience of not needing to crush the ice first.
- Simply mix the chicken and ice cubes and pulse in the food processor.
- This method allows for a more controlled grind, ensuring the chicken doesn’t become overly mushy.
Importance of Using Ice:
- Regardless of the method, it’s crucial to include ice when grinding the meat.
- The ice maintains a stable temperature for the chicken, making it easier to cut and helping to preserve its texture, preventing it from becoming too soft.
- Cold chicken grinds more easily than meat at room temperature.
- Using a Blender:
- If using a blender, monitor the grinding process closely to avoid over-processing.
- First, crush the ice, then add it to the blender with the boneless chicken pieces.
- Blend for 8-10 seconds or until the chicken appears coarsely ground.
- Stir the mixture with a spoon if needed.
- If the blender struggles or the blades don’t rotate effectively, adjust the amount of chicken or ice.
Chewy and Fibrous Chicken Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken breast, cut into pieces
- 5 tbsp tapioca flour
- 8 ice cubes
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tbsp fried shallots
- 1 tsp fried garlic
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Start by heating water in a pot. This will be used later for boiling the meatballs.
- Using a food processor, blend chicken and ice cubes until the mixture becomes smooth. The ice helps keep the chicken at a consistent temperature during grinding.
- To the ground chicken, add salt, chicken bouillon, fried shallots, fried garlic, baking powder, ground pepper, and an egg white. Mix all these ingredients in the food processor until well combined.
- Next, add tapioca flour to the mixture and blend again until the flour is evenly distributed throughout.
- Once blended, transfer the mixture to a larger bowl. This will make it easier to handle the mixture in the next steps.
- Turn off the heat under the pot of boiling water. Use your hands and a spoon to shape the meatballs. Immediately place them into the hot water. This step ensures that the meatballs maintain their shape while cooking.
- Continue to cook the meatballs for about 10 minutes on low heat or until they are fully cooked. This gentle cooking process will ensure that the meatballs are tender and cooked through.
- Once cooked, remove the meatballs from the water and let them drain. They are now ready to be served. Alternatively, you can let them cool to room temperature and store them in the freezer for later use.
Leave a Reply