Chicken Pesto Meatballs

Published May 22, 2024

Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(3,126)
Comments
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Simply adding pesto to chicken meatballs is a quick, easy way to infuse them with complex flavor while providing enough fat to ensure they are moist and juicy. With few ingredients, these meatballs come together fast and work well with any kind of pesto, whether homemade or store-bought. These meatballs can be eaten on their own, make a great addition to any plate and are the perfect companion to pesto pasta, of course.

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Ingredients

Yield:15 Meatballs
  • ¾cup homemade or store-bought pesto, plus more for serving
  • ½cup panko bread crumbs 
  • 1large egg
  • Salt and black pepper 
  • Red-pepper flakes 
  • 1pound ground chicken 
  • ½cup grated Parmesan 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (15 servings)

120 calories; 8 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 220 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Add pesto, panko, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and a pinch of red pepper to a bowl and mix to combine, ensuring the panko is fully moistened. Add chicken and cheese and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

  3. Step 3

    Form the meat mixture into 15 small balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place onto a baking sheet. Bake meatballs for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Serve with extra pesto sauce on the side or with pesto-coated pasta.

Tip
  • Alternatively, pan-fry meatballs over medium heat on the stovetop in a little oil until golden brown.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,126 user ratings
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Comments

Just coming back to let you know that I made a double batch last week and froze them raw on a cookie sheet before adding to freezer bags. Last night I removed 4 and cooked them from frozen in the air fryer for 15 min and they were perfect!

Absolutely delicious and so easy. Used ground turkey because that is what we always have on hand. If ever there was a use for Costco pesto, this is it. Served on a spinach salad with tomato and fresh mozzarella with a little drizzle of pesto thinned with a bit of olive oil (also Costco brand). Will definitely make again.

These were delicious! I’m thinking of flattening them out a bit next time and using them for chicken caprese sliders, or maybe burgers if I make them bigger - has anyone tried making them as burgers? Any tips?

Quick and Yummy. Chicken comes out moist. This is a great go to.

These are really delish! Hubby brought a big jar of pesto at costco and at first I thought, what the heck am I going to do with so much of that, but into the meatballs they went....served it with a side of lemony ricotta fettucini and a salad. Yum!

Due to a grocery store snafu I only had half the amount of pest required and still turned out unreasonably good. Aggressively seasoned with S&P, onion and garlic powder, Italian herb seasoning, and several microplaned cloves of garlic. Bet an Asian twist on this with chili crisp instead of pesto would be lit!

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Credits

By Dan Pelosi

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