Welcome to a taste of classic Eastern European comfort food! Today, we're making Baked Chicken Tefteli, or tender chicken meatballs. This isn't just any meatball recipe; it's a beloved dish known for its incredible juiciness and flavor, thanks to the addition of rice and finely shredded vegetables right into the mix. By baking them instead of frying, we create a healthier version that's just as delicious and wonderfully easy to prepare. Perfect for a cozy family meal, these tefteli are sure to become a new favorite in your home.
Baked Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients for Baked Chicken Meatballs
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken meat
- 200 g (1 cup) cooked rice
- 200 g (2 cups, shredded) white cabbage
- 100 g (1 medium) onion
- 80 g (1/2 medium) bell pepper
- 1 chili pepper
- 60 g (1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
- salt, pepper, vegetable oil for cooking
How to Make Baked Chicken Meatballs
Butcher a small young chicken. Cut off the wings, drumsticks, and remove the backbone. We’ll save these parts for making broth.
Butchering a young chicken
Remove the skin from the chicken. Make two deep longitudinal cuts along the center of the breast and slice the fillet off the bones. Also, remove the skin and meat from the thighs. The skin won’t be needed; it’s often added to commercially produced ground meat, but when cooking for ourselves, it’s best not to skimp on quality.
Removing the skin and deboning the meat
Dice the breast and thigh meat. If you come across any sinews or fat, remove them.
Chopping the chicken meat
Prepare the ground meat. You can grind it in a meat grinder, chop it with a sharp knife on a cutting board, or mince it in a food processor. The last method significantly reduces cooking time, which is why I use a blender.
Mincing the chicken meat
Finely chop the onion for the tefteli (Russian-style meatballs, often made with rice), and sauté it in a mixture of vegetable and butter until translucent. Let it cool to room temperature.
In a deep bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, sautéed onion, finely chopped sweet bell pepper, and chili pepper. If you’re cooking for a family with children who don’t eat spicy food, you should omit the chili.
In a bowl, mix the minced chicken, breadcrumbs, sautéed onion, and chopped sweet and hot peppers
Grate the white cabbage on a coarse grater or shred it in a blender. Add the cabbage to the other ingredients.
Adding the shredded cabbage
Next, add the cold cooked rice, salt to taste, and season with ground black pepper.
Adding cooled cooked rice and spices
Thoroughly mix the meat mixture for the tefteli. You can turn it out onto a board and knead it with your hands to ensure all the ingredients bind together well.
Kneading the mixture for the tefteli thoroughly
With wet hands, form small oval-shaped tefteli. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with vegetable or olive oil for cooking. Arrange the meatballs on the sheet, leaving some space between them so they don’t stick together.
Forming the tefteli and placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes. Then, take the sheet out, flip the meatballs, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Cooking the chicken tefteli in the oven
Serve the chicken tefteli hot, garnished with fresh herbs and sprinkled with pepper to taste. Your baked chicken meatballs are ready!
Baked Chicken Meatballs
And there you have it—perfectly tender and flavorful baked chicken tefteli, straight from the oven! We hope you enjoy every bite of this comforting dish. For a truly traditional experience, serve them hot with a side of creamy mashed potatoes or your favorite grain, and don't forget a dollop of sour cream or a simple tomato sauce. These meatballs are also fantastic for meal prep; they freeze beautifully. Enjoy this little piece of home-cooked warmth, and feel free to share your creations with us!
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