These chicken pesto meatballs will be your new dinner-time favorite. With abundant flavor packed into every bite, these tender meatballs are ready in 30 minutes and are nestled in the most glorious roasted red pepper sauce.
Serve with a green salad with balsamic dressing and ciabatta garlic bread for a hearty and satisfying meal.
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This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated.
Meatballs are one of my go-to options for easy weeknight meals. They come together quickly and are filled with flavors the whole family loves. These chicken ranch meatballs are a family favorite.
These pesto chicken meatballs are as flavorful as they are light and tender. The roasted red pepper is unexpected but is a nice change from traditional red sauce.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Flavor: There is no shortage of flavor in these meatballs with herby, garlicky pesto, salty Parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach.
- Texture: These meatballs are wonderfully juicy, light, and tender. No dense meatballs here!
- Method: Oven-baked for ease in just 15 minutes.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken Pesto Meatballs
- Ground chicken is lean and creates a light meatball. Ground turkey or pork can also be used.
- Ricotta cheese contributes to the light, tender texture. Both whole milk and part-skim varieties can be used.
- Pesto: I use jarred pesto for ease, but if you have extra time, try my homemade pepita pesto.
- Breadcrumbs: I prefer using panko in this recipe. They have larger flakes and are less dense than regular breadcrumbs.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Roasted red peppers: Store-bought jarred peppers add ease and convenience to the sauce. If you prefer to use homemade, read how to roast peppers.
- Pesto: As with the meatballs, jarred pesto keeps things easy, but homemade works great, too!
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Step 1: Add the pesto, spinach, breadcrumbs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
Step 2: Add the ground chicken and mix gently to combine, being careful not to overmix.
Step 3: Portion the mixture on a parchment-lined sheet pan using a two-tablespoon cookie scoop. Roll into balls.
Step 4: Bake at 400℉ until the internal temperature reaches 165℉, about 15 minutes.
Step 5: Meanwhile, sauté the onions in butter in a skillet until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and add the peppers and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add the pesto and honey and blend. Season with salt and pepper and adjust the honey to taste.
Step 6: Add the sauce back to the skillet and heat to warm through. Serve with the meatballs. For hearty appetites, serve over a bed of pasta.
Expert Tips for Meatballs
- Mix all the meatball ingredients EXCEPT the ground chicken together first. Then, gently mix in the chicken using a fork until just combined. This prevents overworking the mixture, resulting in tougher, denser meatballs.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture into uniformly sized meatballs for even cooking.
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Recipe FAQs
Chicken meatballs can be served with pasta or mashed potatoes or simply on their own. They are also delicious as appetizers or piled into a meatball sandwich.
Uncooked meatballs freeze best. Freeze the meatballs on the parchment-lined sheet pan until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a freezer-safe plastic bag and store them in the freezer for up to two months. When ready to use, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and cook them according to the recipe's directions.
Leftover meatballs should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
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📖 Recipe Card
Chicken Pesto Meatballs
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Ingredients
Meatballs
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves (finely chopped)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground chicken
Red Pepper Sauce
- 1 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup diced sweet onion
- 24 ounces jarred roasted red peppers (drained)
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto
- 2-3 tablespoons honey (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Add pesto, spinach, breadcrumbs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper to a glass mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the ground chicken and gently incorporate it into the pesto breadcrumb mixture. Be careful not to overwork the chicken mixture creating a dense, tough meatball.½ cup basil pesto, ½ cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 pound ground chicken
- Portion the mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet pan using a two-tablespoon cookie sccop. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165℉, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the onions to the bowl of a food processor with the red peppers and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add the pesto, honey, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more honey, salt, and pepper as needed. Transfer the sauce back to the skillet and heat until warmed through,1 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup diced sweet onion, 24 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon basil pesto, 2-3 tablespoons honey, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Serve the meatballs with the sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- I prefer using a fork to mix the ground chicken into the breadcrumb mixture. This helps prevent overworking the chicken, which can create a dense texture.
- Use a cookie scoop to form uniformly sized meatballs that will cook evenly.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Abbey McDermott says
These tender and juicy meatballs are a hit with my family, and I hope you will enjoy them, too!