These Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls are the perfect easy dinner to encourage (or smuggle!) your kids to eat more vegetables!
Chicken Parma is one of my all time favourite meals and it’s my go to meal whenever we eat out and it’s on the menu. These Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls are a great way of combining my love for Chicken Parma while eating vegetables at the same time – a win win!
These Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls have received a big tick of approval from everyone in our house, with the boys even going back for seconds – which is unheard of! This recipe makes a HUGE amount of Parma Balls and for us it’s enough for three full meals (when served with some steamed veggies and roasted pumpkin on the side) so if you are looking to make it for just a couple of people or don’t want any leftovers, simply halve the recipe.
As well as serving these with even more vegetables, you can also enjoy them on top of your favourite pasta and I think they’d also be yummy served with rice. I’ve been making a big batch of these every couple of weeks and freezing the extras for those nights I just can’t be bothered cooking. Regardless of whether you make these Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls conventionally or using a Thermomix, they are an easy midweek meal and I can guarantee they will quickly become a regular on your dinner table.
Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls
Equipment
- Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken mince
- 1 large zucchini 120 grams - grated
- 2 carrots grated
- 1 sweet potato 100g- finely grated
- 50 grams parmesan cheese finely grated
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons mixed italian herbs
- 2 tablespoons onion flakes
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 400 gram tins of crushed tomatoes
- 140 grams tomato paste
- 200 grams water
- 1 tablespoon mixed italian herbs
- 1 tablespoon onion flakes
- ½ cup mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced) and lightly grease a large baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken mince, grated zucchini/sweet potato and carrot, parmesan cheese, crushed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of mixed italian herbs, 2 tablespoons of onion flakes, ½ cup of breadcrumbs and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Use a dessertspoon to scoop up the mixture and roll into 24 even sized balls and place into your greased baking dish.
- Pop the baking dish into your preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- While the Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls are cooking, combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, 1 tablespoon of mixed italian herbs and 1 tablespoon of onion flakes into a medium saucepan and cook over a medium /low heat until the sauce begins to simmer.
- Remove the Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls from the oven and carefully pour the tomato sauce over the top.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the sauce and put the Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls back into the oven to cook for a further 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the chicken has cooked through.
Thermomix Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced) and lightly grease a large baking dish.
- Place three slices of stale bread, 2 garlic cloves, 50g of parmesan cheese into your Thermomix bowl and blitz for 10 seconds on speed 9.
- Add the zucchini, sweet potato and carrots (which have been cut into 3cm pieces) and blitz for 4 seconds on speed 6 or until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Add the chicken mince, 2 tablespoons of mixed italian herbs, 2 tablespoons of onion flakes and salt and pepper to taste and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down the sides and mix for a further 10 seconds on speed 4 or until the mixture is well combined.
- Use a dessertspoon to scoop up the mixture and roll into 24 even sized balls and place into your greased baking dish.
- Pop the baking dish into your preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- While the Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls are cooking, place the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, 1 tablespoon of mixed italian herbs and 1 tablespoon of onion flakes into a clean Thermomix bowl and cook for 6 minutes, 100 degrees, speed 2.
- Remove the Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls from the oven and carefully pour the tomato sauce over the top.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the sauce and put the Chicken and Vegetable Parma Balls back into the oven to cook for a further 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the chicken has cooked through.
Notes
- This recipe is freezer friendly
Jess
Could you mince your own chicken?
Lauren Matheson
Yes, you sure can!
Heidi
I made a double batch. Waiting for the verdict at dinner time. I made a few smaller ones without the sauce, popped in the airfryer for lunchboxes. Delish! Thank you!
Karen
Can I ask if I wanted to premake this meal could I cook the chicken balls and freeze them or do I make/bake the whole thing and then freeze?
Shari from GoodFoodWeek
This is set to be a BIG hit in our household!
Lauren
Enjoy!
Jayne
Lauren I love this! I am so trying this for my family. I can just see the tomato sauce all over everything already but I think it will be amazing
Lauren
Yes, it does get everywhere unfortunately. It’s always bath time for my boys after they eat this!
Tez @ Chile and Salt
This recipe looks AMAZING Lauren! Always looking for new ways to ¨smuggle¨ veggies past the kids! Thanks for the great post. This is getting made soon!
Lauren
Thanks Tez!
Bec Senyard
I have to give this a go. Never made anything like this before and I think my girls would love them.
Lauren
I think they would, I hope you guys enjoy them x
Vicki @ Boiled Eggs & Soldiers
These look great a winner chicken dinner! Thanks for linking up with YWF too.
Lauren
Thanks Vicki!
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu
Oh my word! Yes Lauren! This looks sensational (I love meatballs!)!
Lauren
Thank you!
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile
YUM!!!! I have all of the ingredients for this ready too!
Lauren
Perfect!