Ingredients Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, with quantities, check out the recipe card below.
Ground Chicken: Also called chicken mince. Ground/minced chicken is often cheaper than ground beef.
Onion: You can use any onion that you have on hand. I nearly always use a brown onion but red, white or yellow onions are perfect.
Garlic: The recipe only states 1 clove of garlic as I find that is enough for the milder chicken. But always measure garlic with your heart!
Bouillon Cube: This adds extra flavor to the meatballs, you can use a chicken, beef or vegetable cube. You can also replace it with a bouillon concentrate like Better Than Bouillon or a stock powder. Each concentrate is different, you want to use however much it recommends for 1 cup of water. (Usually this is 1 teaspoon, but check your brand.) The recipe only uses ½ cup of water, but you still want enough bouillon for 1 cup of liquid, as you want it to taste strong. This is why I recommend a cube rather than pre-made broth from a carton. If you only have a carton of broth then you can use that, but you will need extra salt in the recipe.
Breadcrumbs: I have tested this recipe with homemade breadcrumbs, regular store-bought breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs. If using store-bought ones, you will need slight less as they are finer and more densely packed (1 cup).
Ground Fennel: Also known as fennel powder, this adds a wonderful Italian taste to your meatballs. Think Italian sausage kind of flavor. You can find it in larger grocery stores quite easily. It is well worth searching for it as it adds so much flavor. But if you haven’t got any you can leave it out.
Fresh parsley: I know it can be a hassle to buy fresh herbs, but they really do make a difference to the taste of these meatballs. There is a ¼ cup of finely chopped parsley in these meatballs, it seems like a lot but it really is delicious.
Parmesan: The grated parmesan in the mixture adds flavor and also seasoning. Grating it yourself will give you the best results. Parmigiano reggiano will give you the best flavor.
