“A home cooked meal is always comfort food” – Jenn Richardson a.k.a The Bell Witch Manor

I wanted to try this recipe out and am glad I did; it turned out delicious. The only thing is that it’s more of a Fall/Winter recipe – with the sage and all- so I’ll add it to the menu again later in the year.

How is your Summer going? Today is Sunday July 10th. I’m writing this blog in advance for next Friday as I have a very busy week coming up: High Tea for mine and my mother’s birthdays, packing for my birthday trip then camping for a few days, coming home to my father-in-law arriving from Japan and staying with us. As an introvert, I can only take so much busy-ness before I start to crave the quiet that the colder months bring. But for now I’m enjoying the sunshine and warmth.

Let’s get cooking.

Sage Chicken Meatballs on Creamy Parmesan Orzo

You Will Need: (serves 4)

For the Baked Sage Chicken Meatballs

• 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp of softened butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teasppons of powdered garlic
• 1 tsp spanish paprika
• 454 grms of Ground Chicken
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage + 1/4 tsp of powdered sage
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• ½ tsp sea salt

For the Parmesan Orzo

• 2 Tbsp of butter
• 8 whole fresh sage leaves
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup of uncooked orzo
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 1 small handful fresh thyme sprigs, tied in kitchen twine
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or 1 bullion cube dissolved in 1 1/2 cups of hot water)
• ⅓ cup heavy cream (1/2 & 1/2 will do)
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• white or black pepper to taste

Instructions

For The Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment.
2. Heat a deep pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the minced shallot and garlic. Cook for a minute or so until softened. Turn off the heat.
3. Add the ground chicken, parmesan, fresh sage, chopped parsley, salt, garlic powder, paprika, powdered sage and shallot/garlic mixture to a bowl and mix in with the bread crumbs. Form the mixture into approximately 12 meatballs and place them onto the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

For The Orzo

1. In the same skillet you used to cook the shallot and garlic, Add the butter and let it melt on medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves. Let them crisp as the butter begins to brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sage to a paper towel.
2. Add the shallots to the butter and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the orzo. Pour in the white wine and add the thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer again. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often until the orzo is al dente and the stock is reduced. Remove the thyme sprigs.
3. Add in the heavy cream, spinach, and parmesan. Let the cream simmer while the spinach wilts and parmesan melts, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
4. Serve the chicken meatballs over the orzo. Garnish with the crispy sage, fresh pepper, more parmesan, and any extra chopped parsley & fresh sage leaves.

Optional: Serve with a chilled glass of white wine.

Thank you for joining me today. If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and join me over on Instagram @ BellWitchManor

If you feel so inclined to buy me a hot chocolate so that I can continue to create content like this, you can do so here.

Love,

Jennifer