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Photo of Chicken 'merguez' meatballs by WW

Chicken 'merguez' meatballs

5
Point(s)
Total Time
40 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
This tasty meatball and couscous recipe is inspired by merguez – a spicy sausage from North Africa.

Ingredients

Calorie Controlled Brown Bread

4 slice(s), torn into small pieces

Skimmed Milk

100 ml

Chicken breast, skinless, raw

400 g, diced

Egg, whole, raw

1 medium, raw, lightly beaten

Garlic

2 clove(s), crushed

Harissa Paste

1 tablespoon(s)

Cumin seeds

¾ teaspoon(s), level, ground

Fennel Seeds

1 teaspoon(s), level

Coriander, Dried

½ teaspoon(s), level, ground

Calorie controlled cooking spray

4 spray(s)

Chicken stock cube(s)

1 cube(s), make up to 500ml with hot water

Wholewheat Couscous, dry

150 g

Courgette

2 medium, thinly sliced into long ribbons

Peppers, all types

1 medium, deseeded and thinly sliced

Red onion(s)

1 small, cut into thin wedges

Lemon Juice, Fresh

3 tablespoon(s), plus wedges to serve

0% fat natural Greek yogurt

150 g

Mint, Fresh

3 tablespoon(s), chopped, plus a few mint sprigs to garnish

Instructions

  1. Tear the bread into chunks and soak in the milk for 5 minutes. Pulse the chicken in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the soaked bread, egg, garlic, harissa paste, ½ teaspoon of the cumin, the fennel seeds and ground coriander. Season and process until smooth but retaining some texture.
  2. Use your hands to shape the mixture into 20 meatballs and put on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 6. Take the meatballs out of the freezer, mist with cooking spray, then bake for 20 minutes until cooked through and golden.
  4. Meanwhile, bring the stock to the boil and add the couscous. Boil for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
  5. Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Put the courgettes, pepper and onion in a large bowl, mist with cooking spray and season well. Griddle for 2 minutes on each side until just charred and tender – you’ll need to do this in batches. Toss the veg with the couscous and half the lemon juice.
  6. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with the mint and remaining lemon juice and cumin.
  7. Serve the meatballs and couscous garnished with the mint sprigs, with the yogurt and lemon wedges on the side.

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