Hearty little chicken meatballs appetizers baked in a tangy BBQ sauce with hints of cinnamon and clove. This dish is designed to bring out the undertones of a lighter red wine such as Pinot Noir or red blend.
The Chicken Transition
Chicken is a nice transition dish when you are going from whites to red courses. It’s really about how you flavor it and what sauces you use. While chicken is the base meat, it has much of the traditional meatball flavors of garlic and onion. It is the a tangy, yet sweet BBQ sauce that is the focus of the pairing.
Wine Pairing
Original Pairing: Airfield estates 2016 Bombshell Red Blend General Pairing: Lighter red blend, Pinot Noir Party & Menu Overview
Specialty Ingredients
BBQ Sauce
There are many great pre-made BBQ sauces out there that you can set up as a base. I utilized one that is more sweet such as a Memphis version. Then added in some more spice to build up the flavors to pair.
Breadcrumbs
I used standard plain breadcrumbs, as I expected much of the flavor to come from the BBQ. I have also found gluten-free breadcrumbs work just as well.
Equipment
Small scoop
For a more uniform amount for each ball, a small scooper works really well. It also helps get you a firm start to shaping.
Sheet Pan
Parchment Paper
I use parchment paper a lot to ensure my items don’t stick. I find aluminum foil doesn’t truly create a non-stick surface, especially with stick sauces that might burn on. Parchment works well every time.
Skewers
You want to skewer the chicken meatballs after the main baking (just to heat up and glaze the BBQ sauce). I like use 3.5 to 4-inch size skewers. Bamboo swords are fine, but I also like the tab handled ones for extra heft.
Planning the Dish
The process of making a lot of chicken meatballs can start to feel a bit tedious. But the good news is they are easy to freeze and just defrost the day you need them. So make them on a day you have time to focus on getting them round and the same size. I use a small ice cream scoop to help measure the balls equally.
Timing
Week+ Before Serve: Make the meatballs and cook them in advance. This can be several days ahead and then freeze them.
Day Prior to Serve: Defrost meatballs overnight in fridge. Make BBQ sauce and let sit overnight to let flavors blend well.
Early Day to Serve: Prep all garnishes. Assemble meatballs onto skewers. Keep refrigerated.
30 min to Serve: Begin to warm up meatballs per instructions. As they warm, heat up BBQ sauce.
Serving: Drizzle BBQ sauce over meatballs and garnish.
Plating tips
Skewers were really well for cocktail party formats, as it enables people to just pick up and take a bite of something. That is also why I made these chicken meatballs small, so they could be bite sized. But you have to arrange them so guests can easily pick up the correct end without getting the sauce on their fingers.
Green onion garnish adds a night pop of color. You could also use chives or a bit of chopped flat leaf parsley.
If plating singularly, you can utilize the reserve BBQ to drizzle or spot some around the plate.
see plating supplies in resources section
Pairing Alterations
The key to pairing these chicken meatballs with your wine will be in the BBQ sauce you decide to go with.
Tangier
I would stay away from using sauces that are very vinegar forward as that just won’t go well with most wine. But you can add some zestiness with mustard
Smokier
You can find BBQ sauces that are noted as being smokey (like Mesquite smoke). You can also add a bit of liquid smoke yourself. Or consider smoked salt in place of reg salt.
Balancers
When I was young, we use to make our own simple bbq sauce out of abut 3 main ingredients: ketchup, mustard and brown sugar. I still use these to shift the balance of flavors in many tomato based sauces.
