- 50 mins
- 60 mins
Ingredients
- 2 thick slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
- 3/4 lb ground chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped
- 1 14 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- Hard taco shells and assorted toppings, for serving (iceberg lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, oaxaca cheese)
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the bread and egg in a large bowl; add 1 tbsp water and mash with a potato masher or fork to make a paste. Add half each of the onion and garlic, then add the cilantro, chicken, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; mix with your hands until just combined. Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tbsp oil. Shape the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and place 2" apart on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 mins.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Combine the remaining onion and garlic, jalapeno, chipotle pepper, tomatoes, thyme and cinnamon in a blender; pulse until smooth. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Pour the tomato puree, then add the bay leaves and cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 mins. Stir in 1 1/2 c water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 more mins. Season with salt.
Bake the meatballs until they just start to brown, about 8 mins. Transfer to the sauce and gently simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs. Remove the bay leaves. Cut the meatballs in half and serve in taco shells with assorted toppings.