Paleo Fried Chicken Meatballs & Collard Greens

So crispy, so delicious.

Posted by Melissa Joulwan

About

I don’t feel like I need to do a hard sell on a recipe called “Fried Chicken Meatballs,” but since this space needs to be filled with words, here goes: These are super easy to make. They taste like fried chicken without the annoying deep frying and pesky bones getting in the way. They’re scrumptious straight out of the oven, but are also awesome at room temperature for picnics, and they freeze/reheat like champs.

The best part? They go from ingredients to dinner in 30 minutes.
This is one of my favorite recipes from my cookbook 'Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes or Less.'

Share

You Will Need (23 things)

  • MEATBALLS:

  • 1 1/2 pounds Ground Chicken
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • COATING:

  • 3 tbsp Tapioca Starch or potato starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon rubbed Sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse Onion Powder
  • pinch Dried Marjoram
  • pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • pinch Ground Cloves

  • GREENS:

  • 1 pound collard greens
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • pinch ground Black Pepper

Steps (8 steps, 40 minutes)

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. 2

    Season the chicken. Place the ground chicken, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl; mix well.

  3. 3

    Make the coating. In a shallow bowl, use a fork to combine the tapioca starch, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, marjoram, cayenne pepper, and cloves.

  4. 4

    Make the balls. Moisten your hands with cold water, then measure rounded tablespoons of ground chicken and roll the chicken into balls. Roll each ball in the seasoned tapioca starch. Set the chicken balls aside on the baking sheet until you’re ready to fry them.

  5. 5

    Fry the balls. Place 1 tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick skillet over high heat, 2–3 minutes. Place half of the meatballs in a single layer in the pan, leaving some wiggle room around them. Cook until they’re browned on all sides, 4–5 minutes total. Transfer the balls to the baking sheet. Add 1–2 teaspoons oil to the pan and brown the remaining meatballs and transfer them to the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.

  6. 6

    Prep the greens. Wash the leaves and remove the tough ribs. Stack the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Reheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the still-wet greens into the pan, add the water, cover with a lid, and steam for 5 minutes or so, until almost all the water is evaporated. Remove the lid and toss the greens with two wooden spoons until they are very dark green and dry. This takes about 2–3 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and crush the garlic.

  7. 7

    Season the greens. Push the greens to the side of the pan, add the oil, and drop the minced garlic into the oil. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss everything together and allow the greens to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm until the meatballs are finished.

  8. 8

    To serve, divide the greens among dinner plates and top with meatballs.

    This recipe is from my cookbook 'Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes or Less.'