Minestrone with chicken meatballs recipe

 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250 g skinless chicken breast fillet, cut into chunks

¼ cup (25 g) porridge oats

⅓ cup (80 ml) low-fat milk

¼ cup (20 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

⅓ cup (20 g) firmly packed chopped fresh basil

2 cups (500 ml) salt-reduced chicken stock

1 tin (about 400 g) no-salt-added chopped tomatoes

2 cups (500 ml) water

¾ cup (80 g) farfallini (small bow tie pasta)

300 g silverbeet or cabbage, shredded

1 yellow or green zucchini, quartered lengthways and thickly sliced

 

 

1. Heat the oil in a medium non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Transfer to a medium bowl and cool to room temperature.

 

 

2. Meanwhile, place the chicken in a food processor and pulse on and off until finely minced. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the onion mixture.

 

 

3. Add the oats, milk, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of the basil, and mix to combine. Gently shape the mixture into 24 small meatballs.

 

 

4. Combine the stock, tomatoes and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Add the pasta and silverbeet and cook for 5 minutes.

 

 

5. Reduce to a simmer.

 

 

6. Add the remaining basil and the meatballs, and cook for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, cover with a lid and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the silverbeet is tender. Serve sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan.

 

From Beat High Blood Pressure Cookbook