This originally came from 40aprons.com. The only change I made to the ingredients was to add a little extra salt.
The only ground pork I could find in the grocery stores near me was so lean that it didn’t make good sausage, so we decided to grind our own from pork shoulder. It was a much better consistency!
Put chicken pieces directly into the water inside the Instant Pot. Add cilantro and lime juice.
Combine seasoning ingredients and add to chicken.
Close and seal lid. Cook on high pressure for 15-20 minutes.
Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes after cooking is done.
Open lid and remove chicken breasts. Shred and add to tortillas, salads, rice, nachos or whatever you want, with your favorite toppings. For Whole30, this makes a great salad!
Recipe Notes
I used chicken breasts. 3 of them weighed 2 lbs. 20 minutes seemed about right for that size of breasts, but it was a little on the dry side.
These can be quite spicy, depending on the heat of the jalapenos you use. You have the option of using cream cheese in the meatballs or an egg. The egg version seems to be a lot hotter than the cream cheese. However, both have a very nice flavor.
I have used Bob Evans Naturally! in this recipe because it is free of sodium nitrites and MSG.
Hot Sausage & Cheddar Cheese Meatballs
Print Recipe
The combination of Breakfast Sausage and cheddar cheese mixed with jalapenos makes a delicious appetizer that will wake up your taste buds!
Prepare baking pan by lining with foil, then topping with parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Combine with mixer. Shape into meatballs using small cookie scoop.
Bake at 375 degrees F and bake for 15 minutes. My oven has a speed bake option and I use it for these. You may have to bake for an additional 5 minutes or so if you do not have that option.
Recipe Notes
Although spelt is actually a type of wheat flour, most people with wheat allergies can digest spelt with no problem. Obviously, you should not eat spelt if it is a problem for you.
It would be a good idea, after mixing the ingredients, to make a meatball-sized patty and fry it in a skillet to see if you would like to add more jalapenos or other spices.
These can be made up ahead of time and frozen in an airtight container before baking. Then remove from freezer, thaw and bake when needed.
