Chicken, courgette and basil meatballs recipe

Name: Chicken, courgette and basil meatballs
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 500g pack chicken mince; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 egg, beaten; 15g fresh basil, chopped; 1 courgette, grated; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 x 110g packs Mediterranean-inspired couscous

Created by The Tesco Recipes team

Chicken mince makes fantastic meatballs and this easy, healthy recipe also features grated courgette, which keeps the meatballs extra-juicy. If you don't have chicken mince, however, any other mince would work. A hearty yet summery family meal to add to your list!

See method

Serves 4
Takes 40 mins
445 calories / serving

Freezable
Dairy-free
Healthy

Shop your ingredients

Tesco Chicken Mince 5% Fat 500G
Aldi Price Match
500g pack chicken mince
£2.49
£4.98/kg
Tesco Brown Onions Loose
1 onion, finely chopped
£0.11
£0.95/kg
Tesco Large Garlic
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
£0.50
£0.50/each
Tesco Free Range Eggs Medium 6 Pack
1 egg, beaten
£1.80
£0.30/each
Tesco Fresh Cut Basil 30G
Aldi Price Match
15g fresh basil, chopped
£0.50
£16.67/kg
Tesco Courgettes Loose
Aldi Price Match
1 courgette, grated
£0.56
£2.78/kg
Tesco Pure Vegetable Oil 1L
Aldi Price Match
1 tbsp vegetable oil
£1.45
£1.45/litre
Grower's Harvest Chopped Tomatoes 400G
Aldi Price Match
400g tin chopped tomatoes
£0.43
£1.08/kg
Tesco Mediterranean Style Couscous 110G
2 x 110g packs Mediterranean-inspired couscous
£0.75
£6.82/kg

Method

Put the chicken mince in a bowl with the onion, garlic, egg, half the basil and half the courgette. Season, mix well, then roll into 12 equal-sized meatballs. It can help to chill the meatballs in the fridge for 15 mins, so that they firm up and hold their shape better when frying, but this isn't essential.
Heat the oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs for 8-10 mins, turning carefully, until golden all over. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining courgette to the pan and cook for 1-2 mins, stirring, then pour in the chopped tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer, return the meatballs to the pan, then partially cover and simmer over a low heat for 15-20 mins until cooked through.
Meanwhile, tip both packs of couscous into a bowl and cover with 340ml boiling water. Cover and set aside for 5 mins, then fluff up with a fork. Serve with the meatballs, with the remaining basil scattered over.

See more Chicken recipes

Freezing and defrosting guidelines
In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.