Chicken Meatball Filling for Stuffed Matzo Balls

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 3 quarts cream of chicken soup for serving
• 3  eggs 
• 0.5 cup optional: dill fresh finely chopped
• 1 pound ground chicken dark (preferably meat, see note above)
• 1.8 teaspoon kosher salt divided plus more to taste,
• 0.3 cup matzo meal as needed
• 7 cups matzo meal (see note above)
• 1 cup onion finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted (see note above)

Equipment

• frying pan
• mixing bowl
• pot
• microwave

Directions

1. Melt chicken fat in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown with darker browned bits, 20 to 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary and adding a teaspoon of water if onions start to burn. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine chicken, onions, dill, eggs, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt with your hands until mixture comes together.
3. Add 1/4 cup matzo meal and mix with hands to combine. Continue adding matzo in tablespoon increments until you can form neat rolled balls in your hands. Do not overwork mixture.
4. Pinch off a small portion of meatball mixture, press into a flat disk, and microwave until cooked, about 10 seconds. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
5. Wet your hands with cold water and roll meatballs into 1 1/4-inch balls. If cooking meatballs plain, simmer in chicken soup until fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
6. If wrapping meatballs in matzo balls, wet your hands with cold water and pinch off a ping pong-ball sized portion of matzo ball batter. Press the batter into a flat pancake and place an uncooked chicken meatball inside. Pinch up the edges and roll the matzo ball in your hands until the chicken is fully contained inside matzo ball batter.
7. Cook matzo balls in a large pot of salted water or chicken stock at a simmer until matzo balls and chicken are fully cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
8. Serve with chicken soup and garnish with fresh dill.