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These chicken pesto meatballs are made with ground chicken and simmered in a creamy homemade basil pesto sauce for a flavorful twist on a classic meal. These meatballs are easy to make and perfect for serving with pasta, in a sub or on their own.
When browsing Pinterest lately, I've seen a lot of meatball recipes that are inspired by people's favorite dishes. Instead of just a standard old beef meatball, there are recipes like chicken piccata meatballs.
So when seeing all of these, I decided why not recreate a simple favorite combination of mine - chicken and pesto for these meatballs. They are also great on pesto zoodles. If you just search those two ingredients on my blog you'll see quite a few combinations.
When looking at this chicken meatball recipe, you'll notice it is a lot of the same ingredients as a regular beef meatball, but you're just using chicken instead of beef.
One thing about chicken or turkey meatballs, is you don't want to overwork or overbake them as they can get a little tough, where beef is definitely more forgiving. But it is amazing how tasty these pesto meatballs are. And yes the homemade pesto sauce definitely makes a difference.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick to prepare - Using an ice cream scoop to shape the meatballs and allowing the oven to do the cooking means you can have this delicious dinner ready in under 45 minutes.
- Flavorful - The sauces adds an herby, slightly tangy flavor that pairs well with the meatballs.
- Versatile - It can be served in many ways, such as with rice, pasta, or even as a filling for sandwiches or wraps, making it an excellent option for any meal or occasion.
Ingredient Notes
- Pesto sauce - Homemade basil pesto adds fresh, vibrant flavor to the dish.
- Chicken stock - Used to thin the pesto, enhancing the sauce’s texture without overpowering the basil flavor.
- Goat cheese - Adds a creamy, tangy richness that balances the savory elements of the dish.
- Olive oil - Used to cook the garlic and onion.
- Sweet onion and garlic - Provides a savory foundation, enhancing the meatballs' flavor.
- Crushed red pepper - Adds some heat.
- Ground chicken - The lean protein base for the meatballs, providing a lighter alternative to beef or pork.
- Egg - Binds the meatballs together.
- Italian breadcrumbs - Help bind the meatballs while adding subtle herb notes.
- Basil - Adds some freshness.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor.
- Cherry tomatoes - Offers a sweet, acidic contrast to the rich pesto sauce.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe, you can mix up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:
- Instead of homemade pesto, you can use your favorite store-bought brand.
- Replace goat cheese with cream cheese or ricotta for a milder, creamier alternative.
- Swap ground chicken with ground turkey or lean ground beef for a similar texture but different flavor profile.
- If you have an egg allergy or don't have any, you can use a chia seed egg.
- Use panko breadcrumbs instead of Italian breadcrumbs for a crunchier texture or almond flour for a low-carb option.
- Try sun-dried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes to add a concentrated, tangy sweetness.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Please note full ingredient list and instructions of these Mexican meatballs can be found in recipe card below.
Step 1: First make the pesto. Blend basil, pistachios, garlic, olive oil and water until smooth.
Step 2: Add Parmesan and blend briefly to combine. Set aside.
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions until translucent, then add garlic and red pepper, cooking briefly. Set aside to cool.
Step 4: Mix ground chicken, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs and basil in a bowl. Add the cooled onion mixture, salt and water, mixing thoroughly.
Step 5: Shape into meatballs and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until browned.
Step 7: For the sauce, simmer chicken stock in a skillet, then stir in pesto and goat cheese.
Step 8: Add meatballs and tomatoes, coating everything well.
Recipe FAQs
Not at all. I just love homemade pesto and especially pesto with pistachios. However if you want to just buy some pesto at the store, that will work just as well. You'll need about 1 ½ cups of store-bought pesto.
Yes you can replace the ground chicken with the same amount of ground turkey.
You know the meatballs are done when inserting an instant read thermometer and it reads 165°F.
I usually just cut one in half and see if there is any pink left. Just throw back in oven for another 3-5 minutes if they aren't done.
Yes you can. Form the meatballs ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator 1 day before cooking. You can also freeze the uncooked meatballs for up to 3 months and cook them later.
You can keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Let them cool enough to handle and scrape any fat off that might release. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze then transfer to a freezer bag so they don't stick.
To reheat, place the frozen or thawed meatballs in your sauce and cook until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
If you don't want to serve these chicken pesto meatballs in the sauce, there are other options. Some include:
- Over pasta - Serve the meatballs with your favorite pasta, like spaghetti or penne, to soak up the pesto sauce. They would be great with this pasta al pesto.
- With rice or quinoa - Pair with rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice for a lighter, gluten-free option.
- Zoodles - Use zucchini noodles for a low-carb alternative.
- As a sub - Make meatball subs with crusty bread and melted cheese.
- On a pizza - Use pesto as the base sauce and then add some mozzarella with the meatballs.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Once you start mixing the meatball ingredients together, do NOT overwork them, otherwise you'll have tough meatballs. You want to mix just until everything comes together.
- Speaking of mixing, mix everything with your hands which allows you to incorporate everything without crushing the ingredients.
- Use an ice cream scoop to make the meatballs equal in size so they all cook the same.
- Place the chicken meatballs on parchment paper before baking so they don't stick.
Other Recommended Meatball Recipes
If you’ve tried these chicken pesto meatballs or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce
- 2 cups basil
- ½ cup unsalted shelled pistachios, roasted
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon water
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 oz goat cheese
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon water
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
Instructions
Pesto Sauce
- Add basil, pistachios, garlic, olive oil and water to blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly combined. Add Parmesan and blend for 10 more seconds until just combined.
- Wait until meatballs are done to finish sauce. Heat chicken stock in large skillet until it comes to a boil. Stir in pesto and goat cheese. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add meatballs and toss to coat. Stir in cherry tomatoes.
Chicken Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a small sauce pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 7 minutes or until translucent, stirring frequently. Add garlic and pinch of crushed red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and basil. Squish the mixture with your hands until mixed. Add the onion mixture and kosher salt and continue mixing with hands. Add the water and mix. The mixture should be fairly wet.
- Shape the meatballs to desired size, usually golf ball size. Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and place meatballs in single layer. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until meatballs start to brown on top. If using right away, add to the pesto sauce to coat. If not using, you can freeze.
Notes
- Once you start mixing the meatball ingredients together, do NOT overwork them, otherwise you'll have tough meatballs. You want to mix just until everything comes together.
- Speaking of mixing, mix everything with your hands which allows you to incorporate everything without crushing the ingredients.
- Use an ice cream scoop to make the meatballs equal in size so they all cook the same.
- Place the chicken meatballs on parchment paper before baking so they don't stick.
- These pesto meatballs can be stored in an air-tight container for 2-3 days in the fridge or for 3 months in the freezer.
Chris says
Love this take on meatballs!