Chicken Meatballs with Tomato & Couscous

📝 Ingredients

• 400 g minced chicken
• 1 egg + 40 g breadcrumbs
• 15 g fresh parsley
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 brown onion + 2 garlic cloves
• 2 courgettes (about 200 g each)
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes (800 g)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 280 g couscous + 330 ml boiling water
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• 2 mixing bowls
• Large sauté pan with lid
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Fork

📖 Steps

1. Finely chop the parsley, onion and garlic. Wash the courgettes, trim the ends and cut them into roughly 1 cm dice. Prepare everything before you turn on the heat: after that, things move quickly.
2. In a bowl, mix the minced chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, half the parsley, the cumin, ½ tsp salt and some pepper. Knead by hand for 1 minute until you have an even mixture that holds together well.
3. Shape about twenty walnut-sized meatballs (about 25 g each) by rolling the mixture between damp palms: the water stops the mixture sticking to your fingers and gives nice smooth meatballs.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes, turning them carefully, until coloured on all sides. Set aside on a plate: they will finish cooking in the sauce.
5. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rest of the oil to the pan. Fry the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and diced courgette and cook for 4 minutes, stirring.
6. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meatballs should be cooked through, with no trace of pink in the centre.
7. Meanwhile, tip the couscous into the second bowl with a pinch of salt and pour over the boiling water. Cover with a plate and leave to swell for 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork to separate the grains.
8. Divide the couscous between the plates, add the meatballs and the tomato and courgette sauce, then scatter over the remaining parsley. Serve piping hot; leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container.