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Cheese Stuffed Tex-Mex Chicken Meatballs -Slow Cooker

Name: Cheese Stuffed Tex-Mex Chicken Meatballs -Slow Cooker
Prep time: PT30M prep, 30M Cooking
Cook time: PT30M prep, 30M Cooking
Ingredients: THE MEATBALLS; 800g Chicken or Turkey Mince (works out at about 1 breast per person); 3 smoked rashers, cut into thin strips; 150g cheddar cheese. Tesco own brand white cheddar didn't melt well for me at all :-( You want a gooey center to the meatballs so this was a let down.; 4 spring onions, finely sliced; 2 or more pickled Jalapenos or 1/2 red or green (hotter) chilli, chopped.; Pack fresh coriander or 1 plant, coarsely chopped HALF for the meatballs and HALF for the sauce.; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 pepper, I used red, chopped finely; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp the best cooking oil you can afford; THE SAUCE; 500g tomato pasata; 2 spring onions, finely sliced; 1 small onion or shallot finely chopped; 2 pickled jalapenos or the other half of the red or green chilli, finely chopped; Level tbsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp white pepper; Level tbsp ground cumin; 2 tsp coarse ground black pepper.; 1 Knorr chicken stock pot; The other half of the chopped coriander as mentioned in the meatball ingredients above.; 1 pepper, finely chopped, I used green.

This is a real child friendly dish so much so I bet this very quickly becomes a firm family favorite for many households around Ireland. You can choose to leave the chills out if you prefer.

This dish can be done in the oven or your slow cooker, I include methods for both in the recipe.

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This will be our third book and it will be out this September.

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Chicken Chicken Mince Healthy Kid Friendly Mince Tex Mex Turkey Turkey Mince

No Ratings Yet

2 adults and 2 teens or 4 smallies

30 minutes Preparation & 30 Minutes Cooking

Ingredients

THE MEATBALLS

800g Chicken or Turkey Mince (works out at about 1 breast per person)

3 smoked rashers, cut into thin strips

150g cheddar cheese. Tesco own brand white cheddar didn’t melt well for me at all 🙁 You want a gooey center to the meatballs so this was a let down.

4 spring onions, finely sliced

2 or more pickled Jalapenos or 1/2 red or green (hotter) chilli, chopped.

Pack fresh coriander or 1 plant, coarsely chopped HALF for the meatballs and HALF for the sauce.

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 pepper, I used red, chopped finely

1/2 tsp white pepper

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp the best cooking oil you can afford

THE SAUCE

500g tomato pasata

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 small onion or shallot finely chopped

2 pickled jalapenos or the other half of the red or green chilli, finely chopped

Level tbsp smoked paprika

2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp white pepper

Level tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp coarse ground black pepper.

1 Knorr chicken stock pot

The other half of the chopped coriander as mentioned in the meatball ingredients above.

1 pepper, finely chopped, I used green.

Instructions

Start with the sauce

Add all the sauce ingredients to a pot or your slow cooker and give them a good stir.

If using a pot then bring to near boiling, mind for hot splashes, then turn to a simmer and let sit while you do the meatballs. The sauce needs to be hot when you add the meatballs later or the cooking times will be off.

Place all the meatball ingredients apart from the oil and cheese in a bowl then mix really well. The mix will be a little wet so don’t worry, its normal.

If using your oven pre-heat it to 180C. You don’t need to do this if using your slow cooker.

Cut the cheese into as many cubes as as you will need to fill each meatball. You can make large or small ones, use more cheese in the large ones.

Divide the meatball mix into 10 or 20 to make either large or small meatballs. Most kids will prefer smaller ones but they are more time consuming to make.

Take one of these portions in your clean hand and form it into a loose wettish disk. Then place a piece of cheese in the center and form the meatball around it so the cheese is in the center and can’t been seen. Repeat until you used all the mix.

Heat the oil in a non stick pan then place half the meatballs in and brown all over. They may not stay perfect meatball shape but don’t worry they will still taste amazing.

When browned remove and drain the oil, I patted them on a bit of kitchen paper.

Place in the sauce (if cooking in the oven place the sauce and meatballs in a casserole dish of some sort, it doesn’t need to be covered.

OVEN METHOD – Place in the middle of your oven and cook for 40 minutes if you made big ones and 30 if you made small ones.

SLOW COOKER METHOD – Place the meatballs in the sauce, cover with the lid and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.

I served mine with rice and some crispy bread to soak up the sauce.

FREEZING GUIDE – You can freeze the cooked dish for up to 3 months. Defrost in your fridge then heat in the microwave, a pot or your oven until piping hot all the way through.

Categories:Chicken Chicken Mince Child Friendly Gluten Free Healthy Low Fat Main Course Meat Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes Turkey Turkey Mince

- Sharon
- 11th March 2019
Reply
Sounds yum, I’m looking forward to trying this. Delighted that I can freeze half, two adults in the household so having a portion in the freezer is so handy on busy days. Husband loves saucy (he calls them sloppy) dinners so this will be a favourite I think.
- Frank
- 6th November 2022
Reply
This is a lovely recipe, simple to make but tastes super. Thank you Liam for another great disb.

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