Herby Chicken Meatball Brothy Pasta | One Pot One Portion
Finding quick, easy, high protein breakfast and lunch ideas can be a bit of a struggle but I think you’ll love my one pot one portion tomato, basil and feta omelette quesadilla. I’ve shared a single-serve omelette quesadilla recipe before and it’s one of the most popular recipes I’ve done so here’s another take on the original this time with jammy tomatoes, fresh, fragrant basil and pops of tangy feta all folded up in a crispy tortilla. A super satisfying 10 minute single-serve breakfast or lunch that ensures you can still have variety, without tonnes of effort or washing up.
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This is my one pot one portion herby chicken meatball pasta. A recipe I actually developed back in September but what are New years for if not to remember everything you didn’t manage to do last year?! So while it may be a little late to the plate, I think it’s totally worth it.
This bowl of brothy goodness comes together in less than 20 minutes, is both fresh and comforting, high protein and completely satisfying. It’s everything you want a midweek meal in January to be. You start by making tiny little chicken meatballs before poaching them in a garlicky chicken stock. I’ve used anelli pasta because who doesn’t want to feel like they’re eating spaghetti hoops? And while I have used frozen peas for ease you could use any green vegetable you have in your fridge.
If you like this recipe you might also like my:
- Pearl Barley & Chicken Meatball Broth
- Tomato Tamarind Pasta with Crispy Garlic
- Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese
- Meatball & Mozzarella Orzo Bake
- Lamb & Halloumi Pasta
About
20 minute meal
- This recipe only takes about 20 minutes to cook, plus 10-15 minutes prepping the meatballs (another perk of cooking for one is that prep time is so much quicker as you're not having to make 50 meatballs!). It's quite a therapeutic process rolling the balls and getting stuck in with your hands.
High Protein
- Lean chicken mince is high in protein and with the veggies, pasta and a good quality chicken stock we have a perfectly balanced meal. Great for an easy weeknight dinner or weekend lunch.
One Pot
- As with all of my recipes, this only needs one pot or one pan so there are minimal dishes, which makes every meal time easier and more enjoyable
Single-Serve
- Again, as always, this recipe is for a single-serve chicken meatballs and brothy pasta so you can make this just for yourself! Though it would be very easy to scale up to serve multiple people if needed.
Ingredients
- Chicken Mince/Ground Chicken: a great source of protein, this pairs perfectly with the fresh herbs and garlicky broth. Poaching the meatballs in the stock also makes them super juicy and moist.
- Anelli Pasta: Anelli is such a fun pasta shape, and kids would love this! If you can't find anelli though then I'd use orzo, purely as a smaller pasta shape means you can get a bit of everything in each bite. Failing that, use a short pasta like rigatoni or penne OR if you're feeling wild, use spaghetti broken into 2 inch pieces.
- Green Vegetable: I used frozen peas here as I they're a freezer staple for me but this recipe is also perfect for minimising food waste and using and green vegetables you have in. Broccoli, green beans, kale, courgette or spinach would all also work so well!
Dietary Swaps
- Gluten-Free: If you want to make a gluten-free pasta then all you need to do is substitute the anelli for a gluten-free pasta of your choice (see above for shape recommendations).
- Dairy-Free: To make this dairy free, you can leave out the pecorino (you may need to season with more salt) or substitute with a dairy-free hard cheese.
Step By Step
1. Start by making the herby chicken meatballs and rolling into small balls.
2. Fry slices of garlic then add the meatballs and the chicken stock.
3. Add pasta and peas and cook until al dente.
4. Top with lemon zest, more herbs and thin shavings of pecorino!
Leftovers & Top Tips
Making the meatballs: you want to keep the meatballs fairly small (use around 1 heaped tsp of ground chicken) so that they poach in the same time as the pasta cooks.
Stir the pasta: keep stirring the pasta as you cook to prevent it from sticking together, and keep an eye on it as you may need to add more water depending on the shape of your pasta and the size of your pan.
Leftovers
You could use the leftover ground chicken to also try my
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 100g chicken mince
- 10g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules
- 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 1/2 chicken stock cube
- 400ml water
- 70g anelli pasta (or orzo)
- 70g frozen peas
To serve:
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- 20g pecorino, in slices
Instructions
- Start by toasting your fennel seeds in a pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add to a bowl along with the chicken mince, half of the parsley and the garlic granules. Season well with salt and pepper then using your hand or a fork, mix together, squishing the meat to break it down slightly until you have a smooth mince.
- Take 1 heaped tsp of the mince and roll into a ball in your hands (tip: if your hands are wet the mince won’t stick!). Repeat until you have 8-10 little meatballs.
- Place a small pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes before adding in the meatballs. Fry for another 2 minutes then add the chicken stock cube, water and pasta. Cook for 6 minutes then add in the frozen peas (you may need to add water if it’s looking dry, you want it to be slightly brothy but not fully soupy). Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the pasta is completely cooked. Add the lemon juice and then taste and season the broth with salt and pepper.
- Spoon into your bowl and top with the rest of the fresh parsley, the lemon zest and the pecorino slices.
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Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
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This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?