These French onion chicken meatballs are the best thing to happen to ground chicken. Deliciously flavored and smothered in a caramelized onions and gruyere cheese. They make a great appetizer and an even more delicious dinner!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl add ground chicken, minced garlic, egg, shredded cheese, panko bread crumbs, tomato paste, and fresh thyme.
Stir to combine.
Shape into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until they are 165 degrees F internally.
While the meatballs bake start the onion mixture.
For sauce:
In a high-sided 12-inch skillet add butter and place over medium-high heat.
When the butter is melted add the onions, garlic, and thyme.
Saute until the onions are soft and tender, about 25 minutes. If the onions start to burn lower the heat to medium.
Pour in the white wine, scrape up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan, and simmer until the wine has cooked down, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and let simmer until the mixture is thickened to your liking. I like for the onions to be wet but not swimming in stock. This makes for a lovely gravy if you're pouring over mashed potatoes or noodles. If you want to serve them on a roll let the sauce cook down more.
Add the baked meatballs to the onion mixture, top with cheese, and let the cheese melt. I usually do this by topping the skillet with a lid or you can place it under a broiler for a quick melt.