Chicken Meatballs with Chickpeas

Name: Chicken Meatballs with Chickpeas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 jar of cooked chickpeas; 1 kg lean chicken meatballs; 200 ml tomato sauce; 2 garlic cloves; 2 glasses of chicken broth; Extra virgin olive oil

Chicken & turkey

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Today I am sharing a pairing that we adore at home for solving weekday lunches: lean chicken meatballs with cooked chickpeas. It makes a super hearty, comforting plate packed with flavor thanks to the rich tomato sauce and savory broth.

It is also an ideal recipe to add to your batch cooking prep here at Cocinandomelavida. It holds up beautifully in the fridge throughout the week, and you can easily freeze individual portions to keep on hand.

Prep: 10 minCook: 20 minServes: 4

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Ingredients

1 jar of cooked chickpeas
1 kg lean chicken meatballs
200 ml tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves
2 glasses of chicken broth
Extra virgin olive oil

Step by step

1Brown the meatballs in a wide skillet with a splash of extra virgin olive oil until nicely colored on all sides.
2Pour in the tomato sauce and sauté together with the meatballs for a couple of minutes.
3Add the cooked chickpeas, rinsed well under cold water and drained.
4Pour in the chicken broth and add the finely minced garlic cloves.
5Simmer over medium heat until the broth has reduced almost completely or reached your favorite sauce consistency.

Tips and tricks

This dish is tailor-made for batch cooking: it keeps wonderfully in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

If you make extra, freeze it in individual portions and reheat directly in a skillet or microwave.

If you like extra sauce for dipping bread, take the pan off the heat a bit earlier without letting the broth reduce completely.

Frequently asked questions

How do I store leftovers?

Keep the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them once they have cooled down completely.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes, but you will need to soak them overnight and cook them thoroughly before adding them to the skillet. I like using well-rinsed jarred chickpeas so the dish comes together in minutes.

How long does the sauce take to reduce?

Over medium heat, it usually takes between 15 and 20 minutes. Simply let it simmer until the sauce thickens to your taste.