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Smoky Tex-Mex Chicken Meatballs with Scallion-Garlic Rice and Feta

In this enticing dinner, chicken meatballs get tossed in a smoky chipotle sauce that's lightly sweetened with bell peppers and tomatoes. The delicious mixture is heaped on a fragrant mound of scallion-garlic rice with a sprinkle of feta acting as the perfect topper!

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Discovery Spicy
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 servings 4 servings
  • 250 gr ground chicken
  • 0.25 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp mexican seasoning
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic puree
  • 4 tbsp chipotle sauce
  • 56 gr baby spinach
  • 160 gr sweet bell pepper
  • 0.75 cups basmati rice
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 2 green onions
  • 0.25 cups feta cheese, crumbled
  • 0.125 tsp pepper*
  • 1 tbsp oil*
  • 95 gr tomato
  • 0.25 tsp salt*
  • 500 gr ground chicken
  • 0.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp mexican seasoning
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic puree
  • 8 tbsp chipotle sauce
  • 113 gr baby spinach
  • 320 gr sweet bell pepper
  • 1.5 cup basmati rice
  • 2 tsp garlic salt
  • 4 green onions
  • 0.5 cups feta cheese, crumbled
  • 0.25 tsp pepper*
  • 2 tbsp oil*
  • 190 gr tomato
  • 0.5 tsp salt*

Instructions

  1. Before starting, preheat the oven to 450˚F.
    Wash and dry all produce. Add rice, half the garlic salt and 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 cups) water to a medium pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 12-14 min. Remove from heat. Set aside, still covered.
  2. Meanwhile, core, then cut pepper into 1/2-inch pieces.Cut tomato into 1/2-inch pieces.Thinly slice green onions, keeping white and green parts separate.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add chicken, panko, 1 tsp (2 tsp) Mexican Seasoning, 1 tbsp (2 tbsp) chipotle sauce and 1/4 tsp (1/2 tsp) salt to a large bowl. Season with pepper, then combine. Roll mixture into 8 equal-sized meatballs (16 meatballs for 4 ppl). Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the top of the oven, until cooked through, 10-12 min.**
  4. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.When hot, add 1 tbsp (2 tbsp) oil, then tomatoes and green onion whites. Season with remaining garlic salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking tomatoes up into smaller pieces, until soft and jammy, 3-4 min.Add peppers. Cook, stirring often, until softened slightly, 1-2 min.
  5. Add Tex-Mex paste and remaining chipotle sauce, then sprinkle remaining Mexican Seasoning into the pan with veggies. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 30 sec.Stir in 2/3 cup (1 cup) water, then bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender-crisp, 2-3 min. Add spinach and meatballs. Cook, stirring often, until spinach wilts and sauce thickens slightly and coats meatballs, 1-2 min. Season with pepper, to taste.
  6. Add remaining green onions to the pot with rice, then fluff rice with a fork.Divide rice between plates. Top with chicken meatballs, veggies and sauce.Sprinkle feta over top.