This Chicken Meatball Sub Casserole is chock full of contradictions. It’s a hearty meal, but with light, tender and juicy meatballs. The basil in the meatballs and sauce is evocative of late summer in a dish that is perfect for mid-winter. Finally, it’s like tearing into a sub, but you’re clearly in casserole territory.

I doubled the recipe and made some single servings as well as the larger casserole. I thought those individual servings would be cute, and they were. Delicious either way, of course.

Chicken Meatball Sub Casserole

Ingredients:

Chicken Meatballs (recipe follows)
Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
5 slices baguette, brushed with olive oil or Texas Toast
5 slices provolone cheese
Parsley and basil, chopped, to garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

2. Place meatballs in prepared baking dish.

3. Evenly distribute tomato sauce over meatballs.

4. Place baking dish in oven. Place the bread slices directly on another oven rack.

5. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove bread and bake casserole for another 7 minutes. (If bread is not browned enough after 8 minutes leave in the oven longer. I used Texas Toast and followed the package directions.)

6. Remove meatballs and bread from oven. Set broiler on high.

7. Place bread in single layer on top of meatballs. Cover each slice of bread with a slice of provolone.

8. Broil casserole until cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley and basil and serve.

Serves 8

Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

8 oz ground chicken
¼ cup grated onion
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil.

2. Use scoop or your hands to form 1 inch diameter meatballs.

3. Place meatballs in freezer for 10 minutes.

4. Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Cook meatballs until browned, about 2 minutes on each side.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
Handful of fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat.

2. Add onion, garlic, and tomato paste, sauté for 1 minute.

3. Add tomatoes and basil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to desired consistency.

Recipes from Platter Talk

“Keep Calm And Carry On” is sooo last century. That whole resurgence a few years ago kind of drove me crazy….the absolute opposite of the intention.

I’m going to give Sway a pass though. They’ve managed to put an annoying motivational slogan into a catchy, fun pop song. And it has all those ‘Oh, oh, oh, ohs’. You’ve got to smile.

Check out Sway on Facebook. You can buy their music here.

Cheers!