Juicy Butter Chicken Bites (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Sauce & Filling
01 -
1 ¼ cups heavy cream or whole milk
02 -
6 oz thawed, dried frozen spinach (chopped)
03 -
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
04 -
½ cup gouda or mozzarella (shredded)
05 -
1 ¼ cups parmesan (grated)
06 -
Black pepper and kosher salt, adjust to taste
07 -
8 cloves of garlic
→ Meatballs
08 -
1 ½ lbs ground pork, turkey, or chicken
09 -
1 tbsp dijon mustard
10 -
3 tbsp of Italian herbs mix
11 -
½ cup of parmesan (grated)
12 -
Black pepper and salt, as needed
→ Final Assembly
13 -
2 spaghetti squash, seeded and cut in halves
14 -
6 tbsp of salted butter
15 -
1 cup of provolone (shredded)
16 -
½ cup chopped basil, oregano, thyme, sage (fresh herbs)
# Instructions:
01 -
Turn your oven on and heat it up to 425°F.
02 -
Combine spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, and milk in a bowl. Add kosher salt, black pepper, and chili flakes for more flavor.
03 -
Lay squash halves skin-side down on a sheet. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the inside. Add a ¼ cup of parmesan to each half's cavity. Fill them up with the milk mixture evenly. Cover with foil and put in the oven for 15 minutes.
04 -
Use a bowl to mix the meat, dijon, Italian seasoning, and parmesan. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Roll into meatballs, about 15–16 in total, each a tablespoon in size.
05 -
Pull squash out of the oven and throw away the foil. Scatter the meatballs around the squash on the sheet. Bake for another 15 minutes until the meatballs are done.
06 -
Once baked, sprinkle shredded provolone on the squash halves. Arrange the meatballs over the squash and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, just until the cheese melts and bubbles.
07 -
Chop roasted garlic into small bits. Stir it into melted butter with the fresh herbs.
08 -
Spread the garlic-herb butter all over the meatballs. Use a fork to shred the squash into noodle-like strands and mix them with the cheese. Serve right away.
# Notes:
01 -
For bigger squash, bake them on their own for 20–30 minutes before adding the cream filling.