Recipe for Healthy Azerbaijani Chicken Kufta (Meatballs)

Many cuisines have spiced meatballs as popular dishes.  with names including kufta, kofte, korma, and more. From Turkey, Armenia, Persia (Iran), and India to Morocco, Algeria, and Greece, meatballs can be made with lamb, pork, beef, or other meats and seasoned with herbs and spices.

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These Azerbaijani kufta are made with ground chicken; choose at least 93% lean to keep saturated fat down. Lean ground turkey is fine, too, and it’s often more widely available.

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The meatballs have generous amounts of fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill, along with dried spices, to increase flavor. They use whole-wheat breadcrumbs instead of refined white breadcrumbs.

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Here are some tips.

• For a lower-carb meatball, you can use almond flour. 
• For less dry meatballs, try adding 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of water.
• Serve these meatballs with chopped tomato and cucumber, plain yogurt, and additional parsley as desired. 
• For a side, try roasted or grilled vegetables like eggplant or zucchini.

Recipe for Azerbaijani Chicken Kyufta (Meatballs)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of at least 93% lean ground chicken
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• ½ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 of a teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 of a teaspoon of ground coriander
• ½ of a teaspoon of ground black pepper
• ½ of a teaspoon of paprika
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup of nonfat plain or regular Greek yogurt (for serving)
• 1 cucumber, finely chopped (for serving)
• 1 tomato, finely chopped (for serving)
• Extra chopped parsley (for serving)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, onion, parsley, cilantro, dill, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, paprika, and salt. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Wet your hands to prevent sticking and shape the mixture into small meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the meatballs on the sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through.
5. In a small bowl, combine the plain Greek yogurt with the finely chopped cucumber and tomato. Add a pinch of salt and mix well.

Nutrition information per serving: calories: 280 kcal; total fat: 10 g; total carbohydrates: 10 g; sugar: 2 g; fiber: 2 g; protein: 35 g; sodium: 250 mg; cholesterol: 95 mg

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Reviewed by Natalie Stein, MS, MPH