Chicken, Bacon and Vegetable Meatloaf

Name: Chicken, Bacon and Vegetable Meatloaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 red onion, ( peeled, halved); 2 cloves garlic, (peeled); 1 large stick celery, (roughly chopped); 1 large carrot, (roughly chopped); ½ large red capsicum, (roughly chopped); 1 large handful baby spinach; 1 teaspoon dried thyme ((or 2 teaspoons of fresh)); 1 teaspoon smokey paprika; ½ cup rolled quinoa ((can substitute fresh breadcrumbs also)); 1 free-range or organic egg; Sea salt and black pepper, (to taste); 500 g chicken mince; 3-4 large rashers free-range bacon

August 19, 2015 | Chicken, Meals

This Chicken, Bacon and Vegetable Meatloaf came about when I was was looking to make a tasty no fuss meal that I could bake ahead and reheat later for dinner. I was planning meatballs, but wasn’t in the mood for rolling them, so decided to make meatloaf. This was the delicious result, hope you like it too?

Health benefits

This a lovely balance of protein, carbohydrates (vegetables) and dietary fibre in one loaf.

Chicken, Bacon and Vegetable Meatloaf

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Total 45 minutes

Serves: 4

4.45 from 9 votes

I adore this Chicken, Bacon and Vegetable Meatloaf recipe - it's so easy to make, delicious and a really nourishing meal.

Ingredients

1 red onion, peeled, halved
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large stick celery, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
½ large red capsicum, roughly chopped
1 large handful baby spinach
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons of fresh)
1 teaspoon smokey paprika
½ cup rolled quinoa (can substitute fresh breadcrumbs also)
1 free-range or organic egg
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
500 g chicken mince
3-4 large rashers free-range bacon

Method

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
In a food processor, chop the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, capsicum and spinach finely. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Add the thyme, paprika, rolled quinoa, egg and salt/pepper and mix to combine. Add the chicken mince and squeeze together to combine the ingredients well.
Now line a loaf tin with your bacon rashers so they cover the base and sides of the tin.
Press the minced mixture in the tin (so it's firmly packed) and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Once cooked, drain the delicious juices from the tin into a little jug and invert the loaf onto a tray. Place it under a moderate grill for 5 minutes or so to crisp the bacon.
Slice with a serrated knife and serve with the reserved pan juices.

Thermomix method

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
In the TMX, chop the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, capsicum and spinach 10 seconds, speed 5.
Add the thyme, paprika, rolled quinoa and egg and mix to combine, 10 seconds, speed 2. Add the chicken mince and mix, reverse, 20 seconds, speed 2 (you will need to scrape down the sides to help it combine fully).
Now line a loaf tin with your bacon rashers so they cover the base and sides of the tin.
Press the minced mixture in the tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Once cooked, drain the delicious juices from the pan into a little jug and invert the loaf onto a tray. Place it under a moderate grill for 5 minutes or so to crisp the bacon.
Slice with a serrated knife and serve with the reserved pan juices.

Note - it can also be steamed in the Varoma for 45 minutes (then bacon crisped as above).

Serve

With steamed vegetables or a big salad.
I also love meatloaf with mashed potato or sweet potato. To make a simple mashed sweet potato, place washed whole sweet potatoes in the oven to bake alongside the meatloaf. Once they are cooked, simply scoop the flesh out of the skin and mash with a dollop of butter and sea salt.

Variations