Pesto Chicken Meatballs are loaded with flavor and come together in under 30 minutes! With a handful of ingredients these meatballs can be baked in the oven or seared in a skillet on the stovetop. Perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep you can serve with your favorite pasta, or as part of a delicious bowl, salad or sandwich.
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These chicken pesto meatballs are one of my favorite weeknight dinners, especially in the summer. I often use store-bought pesto but they are even more delicious with my homemade Basil Pesto (or for a tasty twist my Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto). Aside from providing a big punch of flavor the pesto makes these chicken meatballs incredibly moist, so much so that ou don’t need an additional binder like an egg that you’ll find in many traditional beef meatballs.
I usually bake these pesto chicken meatballs so I’m free to prepare the pasta (or whatever else I’m serving with them). If you prefer to sear them in a skillet I’ve provided instructions for that below as well.
What to serve with these pesto chicken meatballs? The options are endless. Pasta is a natural choice and I often serve these meatballs with my Tomato-Basil Orzo, Lemon Ricotta Pasta or Pesto Tagilatelle. You could also use these meatballs to make a delicious sandwich, or a salad topped with my Basil Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken
- Pesto
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Large egg
- Ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
Cooking Tips and Variations
- You can use store-bought pesto or homemade basil pesto for these meatballs.Â
- They would also be delicious made with sun-dried tomato pesto!
- In addition to ground chicken these meatballs can be made with ground turkey, ground beef or ground pork
- For extra flavor you can add in minced garlic, red pepper flakes or finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
How to Make Pesto Chicken Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a large bowl add the ground chicken, pesto, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Using your hands mix everything together until just combined. Form the meat mixture into 16 small balls and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake meatballs for 18-20 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and are lightly golden brown on the outside. (Alternatively you can pan-fry meatballs on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for for 4-5 minutes on all sides).
Serve as desired.
Storage and Reheating
Meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze the meatballs place them on a clean baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 2-4 hours before transferring to a ziptop freezer bag. The meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.
If you like these Pesto Chicken Meatballs be sure to take a look at some of my other recipes!
Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni
Creamy Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas
If you make these Pesto Chicken Meatballs please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Be sure to follow me on Youtube, Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making!
Pesto Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl add the ground chicken, pesto, panko, parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Using your hands mix everything together until just combined.
- Form into 16 meatballs and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs for 18-20 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. (Alternatively you can pan-fry meatballs on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for for 4-5 minutes on each side).
- Serve as desired.
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