#2,645: Bacon Ranch Chicken Poppers

I'm going to be really honest, I was scared to death to eat these, and I was even more scared to serve them to my family.  My 9 year old took one look at them and with huge disdain (and a bit of horror) said "There's carrots in that!  I know it!  You put carrots in the meatballs!" We've been battling the 6 year old a bit at dinner time because he's just like his dad rebelling against all vegetables.  He used to at least eat carrots but he's even crying to eat those.  So since he's going to cry anyways, I'm broadening his tastes and giving him more variety of veggies...and I'm sticking one or two on his dad's plate too!  Some days those boys will actually like and eat their veggies.

So I figured the only chance I had of this crew willingly eating/trying these was to serve it with something they like...spaghetti.  I expected them to want to dip these in ranch (obvious choice) or catsup, but they dipped them in their spaghetti sauce instead AND no one complained about these!  The girls even had seconds!  (insert shocked face!).

Personally I liked these, but the dill gives it a flavor I don't love...but I don't totally love dill either.  I think it can be over powering.  I even cut back on the amount of dill this recipe called for!  I don't know if I'll love these as leftovers/reheated, but for dinner I enjoyed them.  They are different...I like that!  

Now, if you bake this on parchment paper like the original recipe suggest, yours will not be almost burned darker in color like mine.  I however, would not have eaten it if these weren't dark enough!  Personally I think parchment paper makes it too mushy because the oil/fat that is released just sits on the parchment paper so the meatballs steam more than they bake.  So I let it cook half of the time on the parchment paper, and then pulled the parchment out.  I finished cooking directly on the cookie sheet and flipped them one more time so both sides would be darker in color.  

1 lb raw ground chicken (or turkey)

2 cups raw shredded carrots (this was 4 large carrots for me)

3 slices raw sugar free bacon

2 tbsp coconut oil (I used avocado oil)

2 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried chives (I omitted b/c I was out)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried dill (I used 1 tsp)

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Add the shredded carrots to a food processor along with the bacon and blend on high. You want both the carrots and the bacon to be very finely shredded.  Remove the carrots and bacon from the food processor and add to a mixing bowl.  Stir in the raw ground chicken, seasoning, coconut oil and flour and thoroughly combine.  

Line 2 baking sheets (or one large baking sheet) with parchment paper.  Roll the mixture into small poppers and slightly flatten them (I got about 35 out of mine). Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping them half way through.  OPTIONAL- Place them under the broiler for 5 minutes to crisp before serving (or see my directions above).  Serve warm with ranch dressing and enjoy!