Chicken Balls & Rice with an Apricot Sauce

I made these for an appetizer at a holiday party one time, but I made them with venison. I called them Bambi Balls. Adam thought they would be better made with chicken so for his Monday & Tuesday lunch I made him Chicken Balls with rice. (When making rice make sure you use chicken stock instead of water. It makes a much richer flavor.)

These turn out great and are a good alternative to that fattening party food you normally serve.

Chicken Balls
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 lbs ground chicken
3 tbls chopped fresh sage, 4 or 5 sprigs, slivered
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 c. apricot all-fruit spread
1/2 c. spicy brown mustard
1 & ½ c. Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls

Preheat a small pot over medium heat and the oven to 425 degrees F.
To the pot, add oil and onion. Saute the onion for 3 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup bread crumbs, and chopped sage.

Next, add balsamic vinegar to onion and reduce by half, 3 minutes. Remove vinegar from heat and combine with apricot all-fruit spread and spicy mustard. Stir until mustard is fully incorporated. Dip will be glossy and brown in color.

Add 4 tablespoonfuls of apricot dip to meat and mix. Form meat into bite size nuggets, coat in remaining bread crumbs then place on nonstick cookie sheet. Recipe will make 20 to 24 pieces. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, until evenly browned, turning occasionally.

Once done, dip them in the apricot sauce. Mmm Mmm Good.