Chicken Meatballs with Wilted Greens and Bacon

Whether you grew up eating Italian meatballs simmered in a slow-cooked tomato sauce or the smaller Swedish style ones served with a rich gravy, you know how perfectly those dishes warm us from the inside out. These baked chicken meatballs with wilted greens and bacon are equally warming. I would say they are closer to Italian style with their ample amounts of garlic, Parmesan cheese, and parsley, a trinity certainly deserving of a name in the same way that carrot, onion, and celery collectively earned the term mirepoix.

Made with ground chicken, baked, then tossed with wilted greens and crispy bits of bacon, these meatballs are best served with a sourdough bread or another hearty variety. While it’s not saucy, the bacon and wilted greens create a deliciousness that you have every permission to scoop with your bread. Use it as a scoop, butter it, or skip it, but I always serve it on the side when I make this comforting dish.

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken
1 slice white sandwich bread
3 tablespoons unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
4 slices of bacon
12 ounces of baby spinach (or a mix of baby spinach and bitter greens)
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling

Often the need for a comfort meal strikes mid-week, just when there doesn’t seem to be enough time to spend in the kitchen. Fortunately, ground chicken seasons up deliciously and only requires a brief bake of about 15 to 20 minutes, which is plenty of time to crisp up the bacon and wilt the greens. When you pop the meatballs out of the oven, toss them into the mix, and serve. Don’t forget a slice or three of hearty bread!

Since chicken meatballs have less fat than their ground beef counterparts, bacon doesn’t overwhelm them or make them too heavy. The addition of greens takes everything over the top with their bright, clean flavor. Use baby spinach when you’re in the mood for something milder, and escarole, kale, or other bitter greens when you’re looking for more, well, bitterness.

Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Tear a slice of white sandwich bread into tiny pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the chicken stock and let it soak into the bread crumbs for a minute or so. Next add the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and egg, and toss gently to combine. Add the ground chicken to the bowl and mix gently yet thoroughly until combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat or your meatballs may become tough.

Wash your hands then rub olive oil on them to prevent the meat from sticking when you form the meatballs. Reapply to your hands as needed during the process. Form full, rounded tablespoon-sized meatballs and place on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. You can flip them once during baking to get a golden color on both sides.

While the meatballs are baking, chop the bacon slices and cook with about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until browned and beginning to crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the spinach and/or greens in batches, tossing frequently until wilted. Drizzle a little extra olive oil if needed as the greens wilt.

Serve meatballs over wilted greens and bacon.