Chicken Pesto Meatballs

Name: Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 15 Meatballs
Ingredients: 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought pesto, plus more for serving; 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs; 1 large egg; Salt and black pepper; Red-pepper flakes; 1 pound ground chicken; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

By Dan Pelosi

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(1,888)
Comments: Read comments

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

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
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.
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.
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.

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,888 user ratings

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Comments

CJ1 year ago

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!

Cbederka1 year ago

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.

Coriander1 year ago

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?

Palmetto Girl2 days ago

Love these meatballs, but at 2 tablespoons per meatball, you'll end up with 30+, not 15 (a good problem to have)! A great way to add "oomph" to ground chicken. We love them plain, but also love them in baked ziti (with marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella). Bonus: They also freeze well!

Rosanne3 days ago

Delicious! These would make great meatball sandwiches with mozzarella and sun dried tomato in toasted ciabatta. So many possibilities! And yes… less salt.

Carole4 days ago

Just made these tonight. I took the advice of other commentators and used only 1/2 cup store-made pesto. I didn't add salt. Cooked in air fryer for 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Served on penne with Alfredo sauce. They were amazingly delicious.

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