Skim by Section
★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
Quick and Easy
Pesto chicken meatballs come together in just 30 minutes, making them a perfect choice for busy weeknights. With minimal prep and cook time, you can get dinner on the table fast without sacrificing flavor.
Packed with Flavor
Made with basil pesto, Italian seasonings, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, these meatballs are anything but boring. Whether you use homemade pesto or store-bought, you’ll love the bold, herby taste in every bite.
Healthy and Wholesome
Using lean ground chicken keeps these meatballs light and healthy. You’ll get all the satisfaction of a hearty meal without the heaviness, making this a great option for anyone looking for a lighter dinner.
Versatile and Family-Friendly
Serve them over spaghetti, your favorite pasta, or alongside fresh cherry tomatoes for a simple but tasty meal. They pair beautifully with just about any side, so you can mix and match to fit your family’s preferences.
Great for Meal Prep
These meatballs are freezer-friendly and reheat beautifully, which makes them perfect for meal prep. Cook a batch ahead of time for easy lunches or freeze them uncooked to have on hand for those last-minute dinners.
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
Here's everything you'll need to make these flavorful pesto chicken meatballs.
- Ground chicken.
- Onion. I prefer a mild white onion but yellow will also work.
- Garlic. I use paste but freshly grated or minced garlic works too.
- Salt and pepper.
- Italian seasoning. Dried or you can use fresh.
- Panko bread crumbs.
- Pesto. Choose a high quality jarred sauce or make your own pesto sauce.
- Egg. Help keep meatballs from falling apart.
- Olive oil. Any cooking oil will work, olive oil offers nice flavor though.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Here's a look at how these meatballs come together with pasta and tomatoes for a quick and easy meal.
- Add chicken with seasonings to a bowl.
- Mix until combined.
- Scoop and roll meatballs.
- Add meatballs to skillet.
- Cook on all sides.
- Add meatballs to cooked pasta and tomatoes then serve.
★ Tips & FAQs★
You can blister whole cherry or grape tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet for 2-3 minutes, stirring, to warm and softened them.
Or you can simply halve room temperature tomatoes and add them to the pasta without warming them — it's best to make sure your pasta is nice and hot since this will cool the dish down a bit.
You can lightly toss the cooked pasta in olive oil and a little garlic powder and Italian seasonings and/or add extra pesto sauce.
Yes, you can prep the meatballs and freezer before cooking or cook them them freeze. If freezing raw, just be sure the internal temperature reaches 165ºF when cooking.
Yes, they’re great for meal prep! Make a batch ahead, portion them out with pasta or veggies, and store in airtight containers for quick lunches or dinners. Store for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed.
Spaghetti or linguine offers that classic note, but these meatballs pair well with penne, rigatoni, or even zucchini noodles if you want a lighter option.
Pesto Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¼ cup white onion grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs store-bought or homemade
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Serve with
- 2 cups cooked pasta
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese more or less, to taste
Mighty Mrs. is a #WalmartPartner.
Instructions
- Add ground chicken to a large mixing bowl with grated onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir well to season the meat.
- Add Panko bread crumbs, pesto and egg to seasoned meat mixture. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Scoop meatball mixture with a medium cookie scoop. With clean hands, roll meatballs into tight balls.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place meatballs in a single layer in the skillet.
- Cook meatballs for 10-12 minutes, flipping them frequently so that they brown on all sides. Meatballs are done when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Serve meatballs with cooked pasta and fresh tomatoes, topped with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to use a big enough pan so that the meatballs are not crowded. They should be able to sit in the pan in a single layer with some space between them. If you are using a smaller pan, I recommend cooking the meatballs in two batches.
- You can also bake these meatballs. Simply place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake them in a 425ºF oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure meatballs are the same size and cook evenly.
- Use homemade basil pesto or store-bought pesto in this recipe. Use a high-quality pesto, since that is the main flavor component in the meatballs. I have used Kirkland brand basil pesto (Costco) and Rao’s basil pesto or make my own using this spinach-basil pesto recipe.
Leave a Reply