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Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce

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Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce is a family-friendly weeknight meal that packs a lot of flavor, yet stays on the lighter side!

Comforting and wholesome: these chicken meatballs are what dinner dreams are made of.

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk. Almond Breeze believes in the best. That’s why we only use Blue Diamond Almonds to make our almondmilk and why we’re proud to be an official sponsor of USA Volleyball. Visit www.ServeUpYourBest.com for a chance to win $5,000 for the ultimate beach day, learn fun volleyball moves, get Almond Breeze coupons and smoothie recipes!

While I was coming up with this recipe, I tried to think of what my ultimate comfort foods are. The number of comfort foods that I’m obsessed with could probably reach up and over 100 if I really sat down and thought about. Some of these recipes include, but aren’t limited to, anything pasta related, meatballs in a saucy sauce, pizza, chicken noodle soup, blueberry muffins…I could literally go on for decades. The problem with comfort foods is that they can definitely be on the heavy side. I tend to eat a lot of meatballs served over large beds of pasta. This is actually awesome for my active lifestyle (I’m really big into trail running), but isn’t always so great for my stomach…especially when I eat it later in the evening.

Lately, I’ve been trying to come up with lighter meatballs recipes, and these almond chicken meatballs are one of my most recent favorites.

Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce is a family-friendly weeknight meal that packs a lot of flavor, yet stays on the lighter side!

These meatballs are made with chicken (or turkey could be substituted) making them packed full of protein. They are tossed in a creamy cauliflower sauce that will remind you of the perfect heavy cream sauce, minus the heavy cream. While I do enjoy these meatballs served over pasta, I tend to think they taste best served over rice, and yes they are perfect for the night before a large athletic event.

Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce is a family-friendly weeknight meal that packs a lot of flavor, yet stays on the lighter side!

This year, Blue Diamond is an official sponsor of this year’s USA Volleyball team, and having a balanced diet is so important while you try to stay active! I believe that dinner is just as important as breakfast when it comes to keeping you energized throughout the day. These light almond chicken meatballs served on top of a bed of rice or pasta is the perfect way to end your day and set you up for the following day!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I enjoyed creating it for you! Have a wonderful day! xo

Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce is a family-friendly weeknight meal that packs a lot of flavor, yet stays on the lighter side!

Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce is a family-friendly weeknight meal that packs a lot of flavor, yet stays on the lighter side!

Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce

Servings:

4 -6

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken I used a blend of thigh and breast
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup ground almonds
  • 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cauliflower Cream Sauce

  • 4 cups cauliflower florets approx one small head of cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves of garlic finely minced
  • 1 cup Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley garnish
  • Serve with rice or pasta

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, ground almonds, breadcrumbs, red onion, parsley, parmesan cheese, Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk, salt, and black pepper until fully combined. Using a 3 tablespoon-sized scoop, form the mixture into equal-sized balls. Place the meatballs on an oven-safe wire rack that has been placed on a baking sheet. Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake until cooked through and brown, about 17-20 minutes.
  • While your meatballs are baking, prepare your cauliflower cream sauce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the cauliflower and boil for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer to a large blender.
  • Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the butter and garlic to the blender with the cauliflower. Also to the blender, add the Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk, chicken broth, and a dash of salt and black pepper. Blend for about 2-3 minutes or until very smooth. Pour the sauce back into the skillet, and turn the heat to low. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and black pepper. Keep warm over low heat.
  • When the meatballs are cooked through, remove them from heat and carefully transfer them to the skillet with the cauliflower sauce. Toss to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes and then remove from heat.
  • Sprinkle the almond chicken meatballs with fresh parsley and black pepper. Serve on top of rice or pasta and enjoy!

Light Almond Chicken Meatballs in Cauliflower Cream Sauce is a family-friendly weeknight meal that packs a lot of flavor, yet stays on the lighter side!

 

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Justine

Justine

I’m the voice, author, creator, and photographer behind Cooking and Beer. We started things about 10 years ago and Cooking and Beer has morphed and grown into what it is today: providing hundreds of recipes to thousands of people.

10 Responses

  1. I have wanted to try out this cauliflower sauce to see if it actually tastes reminiscent of a cream sauce. Considered pinned.

  2. We have some of the same comfort food loves haha so I know I’m going to love this! I’m really excited about the Cauliflower Cream Sauce!

  3. This looks so good — I love almond milk in smoothies, so I’m going to have to try using it for cooking too.

  4. This looks like the perfect comfort food to me! Love that you used cauliflower & almond milk in the sauce to make it healthier. :)

  5. I made these yesterday and ate them today and oh my word how tasty! They were much better for a night in the fridge. I also made them in my instant pot and they worked great, although meatball making will never be a truly instant make lol!

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Hello! I'm Justine.

I’m a blogger and web developer from the beautiful state of Oklahoma, where my loving husband, two adorable kids, and two mischievous dogs keep me on my toes 24/7. My idea of heaven includes endless summer days, getting lost in a good book, and whipping up some delicious homemade bread.

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