Chicken Meatballs with Tomato Rice

Ingredients

• 500g chicken mince
• 60g gluten‑free breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 20g chive tops, finely chopped
• 15g fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp garlic‑infused oil
• 300g long‑grain rice (dry)
• 400g chopped tomatoes (tinned)
• 650ml low‑FODMAP chicken stock
• 1 medium carrot (about 100g), finely diced
• 20g butter
• Dressed green salad, to serve

Method

1. Tip the chicken mince, cooked red lentils, breadcrumbs, egg, chive tops, parsley, lemon zest, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper into a large bowl. Mix lightly with your hands until just combined — the mixture should hold together but still feel tender. Overwork it and the meatballs go tight and bouncy.
2. Shape into 16–18 even meatballs and chill on a tray for 10 minutes — they firm up and hold their shape in the pan.
3. Bloom the smoked paprika you've already mixed in by getting the pan properly hot: warm the garlic-infused oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. The garlic-infused oil carries the allium flavour without the burn risk of fresh garlic — but still watch it, as infused oils turn bitter fast if the pan goes past smoking. Brown the meatballs in two batches, 2–3 minutes a side, until deeply golden and releasing cleanly from the pan. Don't crowd them — all at once and the pan drops temperature, water seeps out, and you've steamed them grey instead of building a crust. Lift out and set aside; they'll finish cooking in the rice.
4. Drop the diced carrot and grated courgette straight into the same pan, scraping up any stuck bits — that fond is flavour. Sweat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and the courgette's liquid has cooked off. Season with a pinch of salt now to draw the moisture out. Tip in the dry rice and stir for 1–2 minutes until the grains look glossy and a touch translucent at the edges.
5. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and the chicken stock — the stock breaks the tomatoes down so the sauce tastes of summer fruit, not heated tin. Season again, taste the liquid, and adjust now — at the end, not at the table. Nestle the browned meatballs back in. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and cook for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender but separate and the meatballs are firm and springy (75°C in the centre).
6. Take off the heat, dot the butter across the top, replace the lid and rest for 3 minutes. Stir the butter through gently so the rice glistens.
7. Spoon onto warm plates, scatter with the extra chive tops, and finish with a squeeze of lemon over each portion — the acid lifts the tomato and cuts through the buttery rice. Serve the dressed green salad alongside.