Chicken Shawarma Meatballs
By now, I’m sure you’re all aware of what a meatball aficionado I am. Not like “I know everything about meatballs” type of aficionado, but the “I will make and eat them any way I can get them” type. I’m always in search for new ways to reinvent the meatball and I often ask myself, “Will it meatball?” Almost always the answer is yes, it will meatball. Some of my favorites are these Tikka Masala Meatballs and Orange Chicken Meatballs, but that’s just a taste of what’s to offer…there are so many in the archives to try! This time around, I’m bringing you these Chicken Shawarma Meatballs, and I’m very excited about them because I love shawarma so much! These are great for dinner, either served in pita as a sandwich or with basmati rice and a cucumber and tomato salad for a lighter take on a classic.
Chicken Shawarma Meatballs
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/3 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Aleppo peppers
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 2 small red onions peeled and sliced thick
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, Aleppo pepper, and cinnamon until smooth. Add the chicken, eggs, bread crumbs, and parsley until just combined. Do not over mix at this stage. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil onto a large baking sheet and brush evenly. Set aside.
- Shape the chilled chicken mixture into meatballs the size of a golfball and place onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out evenly. Arrange the sliced red onions among the meatballs, making sure everything is in a single layer.
- Bake until golden and slightly crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with basmati rice, hummus, tzatziki, tahini sauce, cucumber and tomato salad and/or warm pita. Enjoy!
