Zucchini & Kale Chicken Meatballs with Chimichurri Sauce

If I’ve learned anything over the years feeding young children it’s this: Make meatballs!! Lots of meatballs! If I need to sneak in some veggies into my kids diets I’ll throw them into meatballs. If I want them to try a new dip (like this chimichurri) I’ll make meatballs so they have something they already like (and trust) to dip into something new and “scary.”

These meatballs were a hit. My youngest devoured the chimichurri sauce (she actually put it in a cup and drank some!) and my oldest tried it and decided she wanted to stick to dipping her meatballs into plain yogurt. To each their own! I’m just glad she tried it. We served our meatballs with the first summer potatoes from our farm and they were a great complement to the meatballs and chimichurri sauce.

The trick to these meatballs is making sure you chop your kale as finely as possible. I actually chopped it in my food processor to get it as small as possible. That way your kids aren’t stuck with bigger/stringier pieces of kale that are hard to chew. These meatballs are a great source of antioxidants (from the kale, zucchini and green onions!) and tons of protein thanks to the chicken. I love when my kids eat meatballs because I cross off so many of their nutritional needs at once.

I hope you and your family love these meatballs as much as we do! They are made without eggs or breadcrumbs and hold together perfectly!

Zucchini & Kale Chicken Meatballs

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES    COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES    SERVES: 20 meatballs

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken (can substitute turkey or pork)

• 1 cup finely minced kale (this works great in a food processor)

• 1 cup grated zucchini (squeezed of excess moisture in a dish towel)

• 3 scallions, finely chopped (white and pale green parts)

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt

• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Chimichurri Sauce

• 1 cup chopped parsley

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon unrefined salt

• 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

  Preparation

  Preheat the oven to 375F.Grease a baking sheet with ghee or olive oil and keep to the side.

  In a large bowl combine the chicken with kale, zucchini, scallions, spices, salt and cheese. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the mixture firm up a bit and make it easier to work with.

  Use a spoon or your hands to form the mixture into about 2-inch size meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

  Make the chimichurri sauce by combining all the ingredients in a food processor and processing until smooth (adding more oil if needed). Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

  Serve the meatballs with the sauce and enjoy!