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1
Combine the bread and egg in a large bowl; add 1 tablespoon water and mash with a potato masher or fork to make a paste.
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2
Add half each of the onion and garlic, then add the cilantro, chicken, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix with your hands until just combined.
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3
Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
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4
Shape the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
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5
Refrigerate 15 minutes.
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6
Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Combine the remaining onion and garlic, the jalapeno, chipotle, tomatoes, thyme and cinnamon in a blender; pulse until smooth.
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7
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
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8
Pour in the tomato puree, then add the bay leaves and cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 minutes.
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9
Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
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10
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes; season with salt.
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11
Bake the meatballs until they just start to brown, about 8 minutes.
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12
Transfer to the sauce and gently simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
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13
(Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce gets too thick.)
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14
Remove the bay leaves.
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15
Cut the meatballs in half and serve in taco shells with assorted toppings.
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16
Photograph by Andrew Purcell
