Ingredients
For the matzah balls:
- 3 eggs, mixed with a fork
- 2 cups matzah meal
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 ¼ cups seltzer water
For the casserole:
- 1 large whole chicken, cut into 6–8 pieces
- 1 onion
- 4–5 garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2–3 Tbsp oil
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- water
Instructions
- Mix all the matzah ball ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
-
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large heavy-bottomed casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium heat. Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and crush the garlic cloves. Add the chicken, skin-side down, to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and fry for 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden. Then turn the chicken pieces, season again, and fry for another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a large plate and set aside.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pot and fry for 8-10 minutes until golden-brown. Then add the garlic, fry for 2 minutes, and add the tomato paste (and any spices/seasonings you fancy), frying for a further 1 minute. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Turn the heat to low. Return the chicken (and any juices) to the pot and add enough water to just cover it. Cover the pot and cook on a low simmer for 1-1½ hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a big pan of salted water to a boil and shape the matzah ball mix into 25-30 small balls, about a small ice cream scoop’s worth of mixture per ball, or ½ Tbsp. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer the matzah balls for 30 minutes. Remove when fluffy and just cooked through.
- When the chicken is tender, add the matzah balls to the casserole dish, cover, and cook on low heat for a further 15 minutes.
Notes
You can make and roll the matzah balls ahead of time, freeze them, then defrost the morning you plan to make this dish.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Holidays