Name: From-scratch Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 24 meatballs
Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken; ¾ cup basil pesto I used Kirkland brand; ½ cup panko bread crumbs plain

These chicken pesto meatballs are straightforward to whip up and only require 3 ingredients. They are toddler, juicy, and satisfying approved!

white bowl full of chicken pesto meatballs

Kids and picky eaters love these. They are excellent served on salads, with rice, or on pasta with extra pesto. You can also pair it with roasted spaghetti squash and top with some fresh mozzarella and pesto.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN PESTO MEATBALLS

Add the ground chicken, pesto, and panko into a mixing bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.

If you’re looking for a great basil pesto, our favorite is the Kirkland brand you can find at Costco. There are a lot of great ones out there, this happens to be one of our favorites.

Once your mixture is fully combined, using a cookie scoop, place scoops of the chicken mixture on to a silpat lined baking sheet.

raw chicken pesto meatballs on a baking shit lined with a silpat

Bake your meatballs in the oven for 20-22 minutes. You’ll want the chicken fully cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F.

TIPS FOR CHICKEN PESTO MEATBALLS

You’ll want to use a flavorful pesto since you aren’t adding any additional spices
You can also make your own pesto if you’re up for it!
Go for it and mix the chicken mixture with your hands, it works a house favorite

WeNGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE

Ground chicken
Basil pesto
Panko bread crumbs

That’s it!

CAN THIS RECIPE BE PREPPED IN ADVANCE?

Yes! This batch is great to be prepped in advance and frozen. We like to prep them all, freeze them in little packets using our vacuum sealer and grab a small package out as needed. They are suited to lunch time meals with our toddler or to add to our own lunch. Meatballs are a house favorite cook-ahead, freeze-ahead friendly food.

Prep 5 minutesCook 20 minutesTotal 25 minutesMakes 24 meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken
¾ cup basil pesto I used Kirkland brand
½ cup panko bread crumbs plain

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine the ground panko, chicken, and pesto bread crumbs in a mixing bowl.
Mix until well combined. We often find that using our hands works best.
Once ingredients are thoroughly combined, scoop using a cookie scoop onto a silpat lined baking sheet .
Bake the meatballs for 20-22 minutes, until cooked through and internal temperature is 165°F. Enjoy!