Any chance I have to use pesto, I jump at it. These Chicken Pesto Meatballs are my new meatball obsession because they are so tender and juicy, and the sauce is so good you will be slurping up every last bite. During the summer months I use my own homemade pesto, and during the winter I switch to store bought. The sauce is creamy with tons of pesto flavor and juicy cherry tomatoes for a little texture and freshness. You can enjoy these meatballs on their own, served over spaghetti or your favorite pasta, for a low carb option over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
Why You Will Love These
- These aren’t your average meatballs, they are loaded with onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto so every bite is flavor packed (and that’s before they are smothered in a creamy pesto and cherry tomato sauce)
- This is a great meal prep recipe. You can make a big batch on Sunday, and then enjoy them throughout the week for lunch and dinner. They also freeze incredibly well, and in my opinion, the meatballs only get better and more tender after freezing.
- Enjoy them on their own or over pasta, they are delicious either way!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground Chicken: I love the lightness of ground chicken for these meatballs but ground turkey would be an easy substitution
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes give a tangy, sweet flavor that is also deliciously chewy.
- Basil Pesto: Use your favorite kind of pesto. Store-bought pesto or homemade pesto both work. See below for other flavors.
- Fresh Garlic: Finely chop or use a garlic press to release all the delicious garlicky sweetness.
- Yellow Onion: Finely chopped onion adds moisture and subtle sweetness to the meatballs. You can also use white onion.
- Bread Crumbs: Holds the meatballs together and adds a light and fluffy texture. You can also use panko breadcrumbs or substitute it for almond flour or gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Olive Oil: The oil is used to sauté the onion, but also to add richness. Avocado oil will also work.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Add sweetness and acidity to balance out the creaminess. Be sure to use tomatoes that are ripe and sweet, there is nothing worse than a hard, flavorless tomato.
- Chicken Stock: Whenever possible I use chicken stock over water for added flavor and nutrients. Feel free to swap for vegetable stock.
- Heavy Cream: The perfect choice for a silky, smooth, creamy sauce. Any dairy free cream would also work.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grate your own, or buy fine pre-grated for convenience.
- Fresh Basil: The perfect fresh garnish for these easy pesto meatballs.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Baking Sheet Pan
- Large Skillet
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Tips for THe Best Chicken Pesto Meatballs
- Use a cookie scoop to make this easy and keep the meatballs uniform in size so everything cooks evenly.
- Pesto, Parmesan, chicken stock, and sun-dried tomatoes can all be salty, so taste the sauce along the way.
- I prefer store bought pesto that contains parmesan, I find that it has better flavor
How to Make These Chicken Pesto Meatballs
- Preheat the oven. In a large bowl, add the meatball ingredients. Use your hands to mix until combined, then roll into balls and place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat and add in the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt, and sauté. Add in the cherry tomatoes, along with the chicken stock, and leave to simmer until the tomatoes have softened and released their liquid.
- Add in the pesto and stir. Simmer, then add the heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Once the meatballs are cooked through, spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with chopped basil and grated parmesan cheese.
Ways to Modify
- Not a fan of basil pesto flavor? Try Broccoli Pesto or Kale and Pistachio Pesto.
- The cherry tomatoes in the sauce can be substituted for chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Try Pecorino Romano or Asiago instead of Parmesan cheese.
Dietary Customizations
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream or your favorite dairy free cream and dairy-free Parmesan as substitutes.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread crumbs
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these flavorful meatballs on top of your favorite pasta or crusty bread. If you’re low-carb, try spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
For a salad on the side, try Kale and Broccoli Superfood Salad, Shaved Zucchini Salad, or Farro, Arugula, Salami, and Almond Salad.
Common Questions
Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for about 3-5 minutes. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Cook for about 10–12 minutes, turning or shaking the basket halfway through. Continue the recipe as directed.
Yes, you can prepare the meatballs ahead of time. Prepare and shape the meatballs a day or two ahead and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook them.
The meatballs should be cooked until they have an internal temperature of 165 degrees, checked with an instant-read thermometer.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and reheat over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
More Recipes with Pesto You Will Love
- Creamy Gnocchi with Pesto
- Pesto Chicken and Tortellini Soup
- Creamy Pesto Pasta With Chicken
- Pesto Salad with Zoodles, Pine Nuts and Prosciutto
- Pesto Chicken and Tomato Skewers
If you make these Chicken Pesto Meatballs, let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Pesto Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1.5 lbs ground chicken
- ⅓ cup finely chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cup pesto
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 2/3 cup bread crumbs
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Pesto Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ⅓ cup pesto
- ¼ cup heavy cream or dairy free heavy cream of choice
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese + more for garnish
- ⅓ cup chopped basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- To a large bowl add the ground chicken, chopped sundried tomatoes, pesto, minced garlic, egg, onions, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix until combined and then roll the mixture into 24 meatballs and place them on a baking tray. Transfer to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat and add in the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and saute for 4 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes along with the chicken stock and leave to simmer for 10 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and released their liquid.
- Add in the pesto and stir. Leave to simmer for 5 additional minutes before adding the heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Once the meatballs are cooked through, arrange them in the pan and spoon the sauce overtop. Garnish with chopped basil and grated parmesan cheese
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
That was really lovely, I had lots of Basil in my garden which I thought was getting a bit old, but I went cautiously with the basil and it worked beautifully. Definitely a keeper. Thankyou
Do you have nutrition label info for this recipe?
I like that this recipe can be frozen for another great meal later.
P.S. The recipe heading is missing from the print page.
Thanks
Do you freeze them just as meatballs or with the pesto sauce and tomatoes? Thanks!
I freeze them in the pesto sauce with the tomatoes, I find they freeze really well!
Amazing! My chicken was a bit too wet so i ended up with chicken globs instead of balls but they worked.
oh no! Next time try adding in more almond flour if the mixture is too wet, alternatively you can also put the mixture in the fridge for a few minutes before rolling the balls.
Looks incredible! How many servings does this recipe yield?
4-5 servings depending on how hungry you are 🙂