Chicken Meatball Sliders with Sundried Tomato Aioli

I’ve been holding out on you.

I’ve been writing this blog for over two years and have shared almost 300 recipes with you so far. And somehow, I have not shared my go-to meatball recipe with you yet. The meatball that most people in my life know and love and come to expect at parties and for which many people have requested the recipe. Forgive me. I am about the make amends.

Now, when you hear the phrase “chicken meatball,” do you get excited? Do your salivary glands get pumping? Probably not. The reason? A lot of people assume that ground chicken results in dry, flavorless, and not-very-exciting food. I’m proving that theory false today. These chicken meatballs, after much tweaking and testing over the years, are perfect little bites of juicy and flavorful heaven. You won’t miss the beef/lamb/pork/veal at all! Promise.

I’m going to try to not get too dramatic about these meatballs because, really, at the end of the day it’s just a…meatball. BUT! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how darn tasty these little guys are. My sister and her boyfriend freaked over these when I gave her the recipe well over a year ago and still eat them almost weekly. I usually make a big tray of them for parties and just serve them with toothpicks and marinara on the side for dipping. I’ve also served them with pasta and sauce. And now, I’m making them as sliders! Perfect for the Super Bowl this weekend.

Even my son, who has shown an aversion to most meat so far, loves these meatballs. They’re the perfect protein for me to give him and feel good about. He loves them warmed up and just cut up into pieces, sometimes dipped in ketchup. {Which, by the way, I’m learning quickly is a magical condiment in toddler world. Never thought I would resort to squirting ketchup on veggies to get my kid to eat them…but alas, I’ve been doing just that. Another pre-mommyhood “rule” out the window!}

What is it about sliders that makes them so fun and so cute? Obviously, it’s the size, but I feel like there is something extra special about things served in slider form. People just get EXCITED about sliders. My favorite sandwich of ALL TIME, a Cuban, worked out perfectly on these adorable little sliders. And the best roast beef ever was fantastic in these little cuties. And every burger I’ve ever shared would work great in mini form. Maybe my love of sliders stems from my justification that I feel I can eat more of them when they’re tiny. Winning!

To make the slider thing work with these meatballs, I knew they needed a sauce component. Marinara seemed too basic. So, I went with an aioli! Sundried tomato aioli. This stuff is…good. Like, really good. I do have one disclaimer, though: you definitely have to be a fan of sundried tomatoes. Sounds like a “duh” statement, doesn’t it? Well, the reason I’m saying that is because I find that sundried tomatoes have a REALLY strong flavor. Like, it’s easy for me to overdose on that flavor. I like them in smaller doses. So, for me, a small schmear of this aioli is perfect, but if you’re a sundried tomato fan, go nuts! Schmear it on as thick as you like. It IS delicious…just potent.

That’s partly why I also added in some fresh mozzarella cheese and baby spinach. The freshness of the greens and creaminess of the cheese definitely helps cut some of that strong tomato flavor. Highly recommend doing this if you’re like me and are a wuss about sundried tomatoes.

This recipe makes A LOT of meatballs and A LOT of aioli, so you likely will have leftovers once you’ve assembled the massive slider platter for the big game this weekend. After we got our fill of these sliders, I took the leftover meatballs and aioli and tossed them with hot pasta. The aioli, once warmed, became the perfect consistency for coating the warm pasta noodles. And meatballs and pasta…well, we all know that combo works.

So maybe the fact that I’m basically giving you two meals in one here will make up for the fact that I’ve been holding out on you? I hope so. Let’s still be friends, k?

Chicken Meatball Sliders with Sundried Tomato Aioli

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• Yield: 6-8 appetizer servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Meatballs:

• ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed
• 1 shallot, very finely minced
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped (basil, parsley, etc)
• 1 lb ground chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Olive oil, for browning

For the Aioli:

• ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
• 2 tablespoons oil from jar of sundried tomatoes
• ¾ cup canola oil
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For Serving:

• Slider buns
• Baby spinach
• Fresh mozzarella, sliced

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Instructions

For the Meatballs:

1. Line a baking sheet with tin foil followed by a sheet of parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, ketchup, grated garlic, shallot, milk, eggs, and herbs until well blended. Gently fold in the ground chicken and mix until just incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. With damp hands, form the mixture into 2-inch round meatballs.
3. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
4. Bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Keep warm until you are ready to serve.

For the Aioli:

1. Place the sundried tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove and place in a small bowl.
2. Return the processor bowl to the machine (no need to wipe out), and add the egg yolks and grated garlic. Pulse to combine.
3. With the machine running, VERY SLOWLY stream in the oils. Run the machine the entire time, pausing with the oil every few seconds to allow each addition to incorporate. Once the oil is all added, continue running the machine until the mixture is thick, emulsified, and pale yellow. It should look like mayonnaise.
4. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season with a little salt and pepper. Run the machine to incorporate everything. Add in the chopped sundried tomatoes and pulse a few times to incorporate (this will yield a slightly chunky aioli). Check the seasoning one last time and adjust as necessary.
5. Transfer the aioli to an airtight container and keep in the fridge until you are ready to use. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

To Serve:

1. Spread some of the aioli on the tops and bottoms of the slider rolls. Top the bottom half with a few leaves of baby spinach and a thin slice of the fresh mozzarella.
2. Top the cheese with a meatball and then top off each slider with the top roll. If desired, place assembled sliders on a baking sheet and place in a 300°F oven until everything is warmed through (I actually skip this step because I like everything at room temperature. Totally your call!).
3. Serve warm or at room temperature.