Description
A comforting and flavorful recipe featuring baked ground chicken meatballs infused with Gruyère cheese, served in a rich French onion sauce made with caramelized onions, garlic, and beef broth, topped with melted Gruyère and fresh thyme.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, for baking sheet
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Sauce
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tsp. freshly chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly rub with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Make Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, shredded Gruyère, bread crumbs, chopped parsley, beaten egg, and minced garlic. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and form the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Make the Sauce: While the meatballs bake, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and cook them slowly for 25 minutes until very soft and golden brown, stirring often to prevent burning. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the low-sodium beef broth and add 2 teaspoons of chopped thyme. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Combine and Finish: Add the baked meatballs to the skillet with the onion sauce. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded Gruyère evenly over the meatballs. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until the meatballs are warmed through and the cheese has melted. Garnish with additional fresh thyme and serve warm.
Notes
- Using ground chicken keeps the meatballs light, but you can substitute ground turkey if preferred.
- If you want a stronger onion flavor, caramelize the onions a bit longer until deeply golden but be sure not to burn them.
- For a lower sodium version, use homemade beef broth or further reduce salt to taste.
- Baking the meatballs on foil-lined sheet makes cleanup easier and prevents sticking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
