Today I’m serving up meatballs—stuffed inside bread.
Does that sound odd? Maybe. I’m still deciding.
When I was growing up, both of my brothers were obsessed with meatball subs. I never loved them—probably because I’ve never been a tomato-sauce fan. The idea of a round meatball tucked into a bun didn’t make much sense: if the roll is sliced all the way through, how do the meatballs stay in place? The cheese was always my favorite part. In fact, if I somehow got my hands on one of those sandwiches, I’d sometimes remove the meatballs and eat the cheesy, bubbly bread instead. For much of my life I tended to pick meat out of sandwiches. Meanwhile, I have fond memories of sticking a chipped ham, yellow mustard and cheddar on a big white roll at my grandparents’ and nuking it in the microwave on Sunday afternoons.
Clearly I’m not the sandwich authority.
This photo always makes me laugh.
I have the mind of a 12-year-old boy. Also: someone please teach me how to use my broiler.
These hoagies—subs, sandwiches, however you call them—are really tasty. They’re a twist on traditional meatballs: think meatball sub meets jalapeño popper. I rarely keep things strictly traditional. They feel a little lighter than classic beef meatballs, but let’s be honest: right now the focus is on flavor. My husband, for example, spent a good 20 minutes the other day complaining (after eating three of these) that he’s “eating so much” and can’t gain weight. That’s despite a breakfast of over a cup of oatmeal made with milk, peanut butter, two bananas, a big orange and eggs by 6 a.m., plus several more meals throughout the day. Must be rough.
You can absolutely make these with turkey instead of chicken—ground turkey or ground beef would work too. I prefer ground chicken here because it feels right with the cheddar and jalapeño, but use what you like. If I were making beef meatballs, I’d probably reach for mozzarella or blue cheese and maybe bacon. Now I’m tempted to try bacon-blue-cheese meatballs next.
Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Meatball Sandwiches
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 pound lean ground chicken breast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, 1 finely diced and 1 thinly sliced
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 8-10 whole wheat sandwich buns
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
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In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, salt, pepper, egg, panko, minced garlic, the finely diced jalapeño and half (4 ounces) of the grated cheddar. Mix until just combined—try not to overwork the meat. Roll into golf ball-sized meatballs. Arrange on the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until cooked through. The meatballs may release some liquid and cheese as they bake. Remove and let cool slightly.
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Slice each bun lengthwise and add some of the remaining grated cheddar to the bottom. Place 2–3 meatballs in each bun (depending on roll size) and top with more cheddar. Bake for 6–8 minutes, then broil briefly if desired to brown and bubble the cheese. Top with thinly sliced jalapeños and serve.
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If you want to make these for a game day, they’re great for a crowd. Add them to your lineup of party foods and enjoy.