Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

[kaci]

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Meatballs in Marinara Sauce


1 pound spaghetti
3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped, divided
1 2(8 ounce) can plum tomatoes, crushed
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound ground all-white meat chicken
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 4-ounce piece mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2" chunks
10 leaves of fresh basil, chopped

.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to
a boil, add a generous handful of salt along with the pasta. Cook the pasta
to al dente according to the package directions.

Place a medium-size sauce pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add half
of the garlic and cook until it starts to get lightly browned, about 1
minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, cook for 8-10 minutes and
season with salt and pepper. While sauce is simmering, place the ground
chicken in a medium-size mixing bowl and add the egg, milk, bread crumbs,
1/2 cup of grated cheese, the other half of the garlic and the parsley.

Season the chicken mixture with salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients
together and roll into 12 medium-size meatballs, each about 2 inches round.
Place a piece of cheese into the center of each meatball and maneuver the
meat around the cheese to seal it in the middle. Place the meatballs in the
tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Pour
meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta, sprinkle with the remaining
grated cheese and basil, and serve.

Serves 4