Since last night was the casual portion of our Valentine’s Day celebration, I wanted to make something comforting but light-ish to eat at home before going to the movies.  Chicken meatball sandwiches totally fit the bill.  I love these in a sandwich, but you can of course eat them over spaghetti for a Lady and the Tramp style Valentine’s Day!

Chicken Meatball Sandwiches

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
3 cloves garlic
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1/3 c breadcrumbs
1/4 c parsley, finely chopped
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt
black pepper
1 T olive oil

For the tomato sauce:
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
basil

For the sandwiches:
baguette
mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To make the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a mixing bowl. Mix together with your hands (don’t over-combine though, it will make them tough). Drizzle the olive oil onto a baking sheet, then roll the balls into one-inch balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet and roll around in the oil.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Set one meatball aside for your chihuahuas!

To make the sauce, heat a pot over medium heat with the olive oil and butter. Saute the onions and garlic until soft. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and about a cup of water. Simmer for at least 20 minutes. I would normally add some finely chopped basil towards the end, but we were out because Paco made an enormous batch of pesto. Luckily, the canned tomatoes that I used had basil in them (not as much basil flavor, but definitely enough for this recipe). When the meatballs are ready, add them to the sauce, and simmer for at least five minutes (or up to an hour).

 

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the baguette into 4-inch pieces. Cut long-ways, but not all the way through. Arrange meatballs and sauce on the bread.

Sprinkle cheese on top.

Place in a 400 degree F oven for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted.