Nutty Chicken Balls

Serve these as a first course with the lemon sauce, or make them into smaller balls and serve on toothpicks as canapes.

Serves 4

12 ounces chicken


1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 eggs, beaten

all purpose flour, for shaping 1 1/4 cups blanched chopped almonds

3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs

salt and black pepper

 

 For the lemon sauce

2/3 cup homemade canned chicken  stock

 1 cup cream cheese 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 tablespoon chapped fresh parsely

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1. Skin and grind or chop the chicken finely. Mix with salt and freshly ground black pepper, pistachios, lemon juice and one beaten egg.
2. Shape into sixteen small balls with floured hands (use a spoon as a guide, so that all the balls are roughly the same size). Roll the balls in the remaining beaten egg and coat first with the almonds and then the dried bread-crumbs, pressing on firmly. Chill until ready to cook.
3. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the balls on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
4. to make the lemon sauce, gently heat the chicken stock and cream cheese together in a pan, whisking until smooth. Add the lemon juice, herbs and seasoning. Serve with the chicken balls.