Food and Prop Styling Renee Muller
Photography Hudi Greenberger

I heard about this incredibly soft chicken appetizer from my sister’s friend. Frying and then cooking these mini chicken balls in a sauce seemed like a great way to lock in the moisture, especially if prepping in advance. It worked even better than I expected. These Tasty chicken nuggets are bursting with juicy goodness, and the sauce is exemplary over a bed of mashed potatoes. Thanks, Hendy, for a real winner!

YIELDS 12–14 PORTIONS (6–7 CHICKEN BALLS PER SERVING)

• 5 onions, diced
• oil, for sautéing
• 2 lbs (910 g) ground chicken
• 3 eggs
• 1 large cooked potato, coarsely mashed
• 1 large potato, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 Tbsp salt, plus more to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a large, deep frying pan, sauté onions in oil until golden. Remove from pan. Place half the onions into a large mixing bowl and set aside the rest. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the sautéed onions and mix well until fully combined.
2. Heat the same frying pan with 3 tablespoons oil until very hot, but not smoking. Using two teaspoons, form small balls from the chicken mixture, about the size of cherry tomatoes, and drop into hot oil, using the second spoon to scrape the mixture into pan. Fry balls on both sides until golden brown and remove from pan. (The balls do not have to be cooked through, just browned.)
3. Once all the chicken mixture has been used, return the balls to the pan and cover with the reserved onions. Pour water halfway up the sides of the pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover pan, leaving a small space for steam to escape. Cook for 40 minutes and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve over mashed potatoes, spooning sauce on top.

Tip: Once fully cooled, freeze in the sauce in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight and rewarm covered in the oven until heated through or over medium-low heat in a covered pot. You can sub ground beef, veal, or lamb for the chicken

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 734)