Description
These baked chicken pesto meatballs are a flavorful and healthy twist on traditional meatballs, combining ground chicken with fresh veggies and basil pesto for a moist, tender bite. Perfect for a quick dinner or meal prep, they bake to golden perfection and can be served with pasta, salad, or enjoyed on their own.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies: Grate the zucchini and carrots using a box grater. Gently pat the grated zucchini dry with a paper towel to soak up some of the liquid, preventing the meatballs from becoming too wet.
- Mix together the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, grated carrots and zucchini, basil pesto, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or your hands until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Make the meatballs: Using a small to medium cookie scoop (about 1.2 tablespoons), scoop out the meatball mixture and roll into 2-inch sized balls, roughly the size of a golf ball. Place the formed meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick spray in a single layer. You should yield approximately 22 meatballs.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the meatballs for 14 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Serve: Serve the pesto meatballs immediately, either on their own or tossed with additional basil pesto or a simple tomato sauce, paired well with pasta or a side salad.
Notes
- Patting the zucchini dry helps prevent excess moisture from making the meatballs too soft or soggy.
- If you don't have basil pesto on hand, you can substitute with store-bought pesto or finely chopped fresh basil combined with olive oil and garlic.
- Using a meat thermometer ensures the meatballs are cooked safely without drying them out.
- Breadcrumbs can be substituted with gluten-free breadcrumbs for a gluten-free version.
- These meatballs freeze well, so you can make a batch ahead and reheat as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
