share

Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet

by
Crispy, juicy chicken meatballs in a cheesy creamy corn skillet all baked under a tangy cilantro jalapeño chutney: this Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is the healthy comfort food we all need in our lives.

Crispy, juicy chicken meatballs in a cheesy creamy corn skillet all baked under a tangy cilantro jalapeño chutney: this Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is the healthy comfort food we all need in our lives. 

Jump to Recipe

Summer is ending, but I’m still eating all the corn!! Really, corn is something I eat year-round. While this might be controversial, I honestly have nothing against going in with some frozen yellow corn. Sure, fresh corn on the cob may be better to eat plain, but sometimes you just need a good sweet, filling vegetable in the fall, too. Right? Hence, I’m not def not going to stop with the corn recipes. This Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is the perfect example. With fresh notes from the corn and a light and juicy meatball, but comforting cheese and rice thrown into the mix, this dish is seriously the best for those in-between-season days. Hope you give this one a try!!

the breakdown…

This Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is super simple, and makes for the perfect school-night dinner. Start off by whipping up your cilantro jalapeño chutney. Once you get going with this recipe, everything happens pretty quick, so it’s good to have this chutney ready to go. 

With Mexican influenced flavors like the cilantro, jalapeño, and lime, this chutney is the perfect fresh and tangy bite that a creamy dish like this definitely needs. Still, with some pepitas to thicken things up, and some worcestershire for an added boost of flavor, you get a unique flavor that places this chutney somewhere in between a Mexican vinaigrette and a cilantro pesto. The flavor is truly off the charts, trust me. That being said, if you really can’t do cilantro, you could also go in with chives, mint, or parsley — just note that the flavor of the dish will be a bit different. 

Crispy, juicy chicken meatballs in a cheesy creamy corn skillet all baked under a tangy cilantro jalapeño chutney: this Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is the healthy comfort food we all need in our lives.

all about that chutney!!

Once you have the chutney all good to go, it’s time to get cracking on those meatballs. This Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet includes a spin on my classic chicken meatball recipe. With some zucchini to keep things moist, some panko and egg to find things together, and some garlic for flavor — there’s nothing too crazy about it. That being said, this dish does throw in some worcestershire and coriander to tie in some of the flavors from the dish. 

Oh, and, this recipe calls to pan sear those meatballs! While I usually opt to bake my meatballs, I love how crisp they get with this method. Plus, there’s something about doing everything in one skillet that’s super appealing for my average weeknight dinner. That being said, you do you! Want to substitute ground turkey? Go for it! Want to bake your meatballs? It’s all fair game! You do you!!

Next up on the agenda is getting that corn ready to go. This is kind of my take on creamed corn — except way healthier and a lot more vibrant. Start off by sauteing some onion, zucchini, and corn. You could leave out the zucchini if you would like, but I love the addition of a little extra vegetable and greenery in the mix. With those veggies underway, go ahead and stir in the simplest of seasonings. Really, all you need for this dish is some paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. You’re getting so much flavor from that cilantro jalapeño chutney and that little tang from the cream cheese, so there’s no need to go overboard. 

Crispy, juicy chicken meatballs in a cheesy creamy corn skillet all baked under a tangy cilantro jalapeño chutney: this Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is the healthy comfort food we all need in our lives.

so creamy…

Speaking of which, the next step is to stir in that cream cheese and milk. I opt for just a little bit of cream cheese and almond milk ( or milk of choice, technically) for this recipe. Creamy corn has a reputation of being heavy and dense, so I think this substitution keeps things nice and light. Bring everything to a boil with those meatballs, and you’ll have yourself a dreamy, thick, and saucy skillet that you’ll seriously want to eat straight from the pan (no judgment!!). All there’s left to do is melt some cheddar cheese over top, if you would like, and get to eating! I love to serve this over some brown rice with toasted pepitas, cilantro, and some jalapeños. All in all, this makes for a wonderful, well rounded bowl!!

perfect weeknight dinner!!

This Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is seriously the ultimate family weeknight dinner. The creaminess pleases the kid in all of us, yet it’s totally packed with veggies and lightened up. Plus, it’s super easy and versatile — change it up as you would like! Better yet? This dish makes for amazing leftovers, and requires no many sides whatsoever. That’s what’s so great about a bowl, in my opinion. You simply assemble everything in one skillet and allow everyone to serve it up with their desired toppings!! 

I hope you love this Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)))

Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner, BowlCuisine: American, MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

40

minutes

Crispy, juicy chicken meatballs in a cheesy creamy corn skillet all baked under a tangy cilantro jalapeño chutney: this Creamy Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Skillet is the healthy comfort food we all need in our lives. 

Ingredients

  • cilantro jalapeño chutney:
  • 2 bunches fresh cilantro

  • ¼ cup pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds)

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • ¼ cup water

  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed

  • 2 limes, juiced

  • 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded

  • Salt, to taste

  • chicken meatballs:
  • 1 lb ground chicken

  • ½ cup finely grated zucchini, ringed of all water with a towel*

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tsp ground coriander

  • ½ tsp salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • assembly:
  • 2 + 1 tbsp olive oil

  • ½ a large sweet onion, diced

  • 1 ½ cups corn, fresh or frozen

  • 1 zucchini, finely diced (optional)

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • ½ tsp cumin

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 2 oz cream cheese

  • ⅓ cup milk of choice

  • 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded (optional)

  • 1-2 cups brown rice, to serve

  • Fresh cilantro and chives, to serve

  • Sliced jalapeno, to served

  • Toasted pepitas, to serve

Instructions

  • In a food processor or blender, mix all of the cilantro jalapeño chutney ingredients until smooth.
  • In a medium bowl, mix all of the chicken meatball ingredients until evenly combined.
  • In a large skillet, heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken meatballs to the skillet, and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned and crisp. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet. Once hot, toss in the onion, zucchini, and corn and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the corn is slightly charred. Stir in the paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, cream cheese, and milk and cook until mixed in and melted.
  • Return the chicken meatballs to the skillet and pour half of the cilantro jalapeño chutney over top everything. Bring the liquids to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the sharp cheddar over top, and cover the skillet with a lid. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the meatballs are cooked through.
  • Serve each bowl with a base of brown rice. Spoon some of the chicken meatballs and creamy veggies over top. Drizzle on some of the remaining chutney, and garnish with fresh herbs, jalapeño, and pepitas, as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • After grating your zucchini on the finest setting, place it inside of a thin cloth or a few paper towels, and squeeze all of the water out of it over the sink. It should only take a few rings to get rid of all of the water. 
  • Instead of pepitas, you could use equal parts of any nut or seed you have on hand, especially since it is such a small amount.
Tags:
On Annie's Menu
Close Cookmode