Oven-baked Chicken Pesto Meatballs

Mouthwatering Baked Chicken Pesto Meatballs made with tender ground chicken, garlicky basil pesto, fresh veggies and parmesan cheese. Juicy, flavorful and make the reliable weeknight meal served over pasta or with rice!

If you are looking for the reliable weeknight dinner, look no further. These juicy chicken pesto meatballs are straightforward, wholesome and loaded with hidden veggies so they make a great meal for kids too! These meatballs are baked in the oven, not fried, and easily come together in under 30 minutes. Serve over pasta, tucked in a sub or add to a salad for a light, protein-packed meal. A cook

Yes of course! A cook find that baking meatballs is just easier with less cooking required, but pan frying these meatballs would taste notable! All you will need is a little olive oil to coat the pan or a large skillet then add the meatballs. Cook the meatballs on a moderate burner to a lively burner, and turn them continuously so that they get browned on all sides. Meatballs should be coo

What goes in

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

How it comes together

1. Prepare the veggies. Grate the zucchini and carrots using a box grater. Gently pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel to soak up some of the liquid.
2. Mix together the ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, grated carrots and zucchini, basil pesto, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Mix the meatball ingredients together using a spatula or your hands until all combined.
3. Make the meatballs. Using a small to medium cookie scoop (A cook used this 1.2 tablespoon size scoop), make 2-inch sized balls (golf ball size) from the meatball mixture and place on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or sprayed with non-stick spray) in a single layer. You should get about 22 meatballs.
4. Bake. Pop the sheet pan in the oven at 375 degrees F and bake for about 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and cooked through. Meatballs should have an internal temp of 165 degrees F when inserting a meat thermometer.
5. Serve. Serve the pesto meatballs immediately as is or toss them with some leftover pesto or simple tomato sauce with pasta noodles.