Italian Chicken Sausage Meatballs

Italian Chicken Sausage Meatballs

Recipe By: Amethyst Ganaway

Born and raised in North Charleston, Amethyst Ganaway is one of the most prominent chefs in the South. Named after her mother, and coincidentally, the South Carolina state stone, Amethyst uses her position as a chef and food writer to tell the stories of the region’s history, culture, art, cuisine, and environment. Amethyst specializes in Southern and African-American foodways and foodways of the African Diaspora. Over the last year she has headlined Charleston Wine + Food Festival, Southern Wildlife Exposition, been featured in and written for publications like Saveur, New York Times, The Local Palate, and many more. She is skilled as a chef, food writer, recipe developer, content creator and cultural curator. On the heels of her first cookbook publishing in 2025, Amethyst is primed to continue carving her path for culinary and cultural greatness in 2024.

These meatballs are delicious and versatile - they can be served in several ways but we opted for noodles and with a white wine sauce. Featuring our pasture-raised Italian ground chicken that comes pre-seasoned with oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, and other seasonings. Earthy and meaty mushrooms add umami depth, and the leeks add sweetness and a subtle garlicky note that complements the other ingredients beautifully. We’re just outside of wild leek season, but you can likely find them at your local grocer. If you have some stored frozen or dry, even better!

 

Ingredients

Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 tbsp
Large egg, well beaten
1
Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup
Neutral Cooking Oil
1 Tablespoon
--Sauce:
Butter
2 tbsp
Fresh leeks, chopped
2 cups
Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cups
White wine
2 cups
Medium egg noodles
1.5 cups
Salt and pepper
To taste
Fresh Parsley
Garnish

Utensils

  • Large pan with a lid
  • Sheet pan
  • Mixing bowl

Instructions

For Meatballs: Preheat an oven to 400F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the oil and mix well with a rubber spatula or a spoon. Next, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or oven-safe parchment paper and rub the cooking oil or spray the covered sheet.  Using your hands or a cookie scoop, make small meatballs, about 1-1 1/2 inches in size. Then place the meatballs in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and a thermometer reads 165F.

For Sauce: In a large pan with a lid, heat the butter over a medium-high setting. After about 2 minutes, add the leeks and mushrooms and stir well to coat with butter. Let vegetables cook for 3-4 minutes or until they begin to soften and some caramelization/browning occurs. 

Add in the white wine and scrape along the bottom of the pan to pick up the fond, or leftover brown bits. Bring to a rolling simmer and add the egg noodles and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover, letting the noodles cook until al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve, garnishing with fresh parsley. 

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