Chicken Meatballs are a tasty and nutritious alternative to traditional beef and pork meatballs. They're packed with flavor and easy to make-- the perfect weeknight dinner option. Plus, there's no need to slave over meatballs browning on the stovetop—these are baked all at once! Serve them with our favorite pesto pasta for a delicious and satisfying meal that will become a new family favorite!
MEATBALLS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large dark-colored sheet pan with sides, using cooking spray; set aside. (Don't line sheet pan with foil or parchment). Peel the outside layers off the onion. Using a cheese grater with large holes, grate the onion until you have ½ cup of grated onion and add it to a large bowl. Add remaining meatball ingredients. Gently knead the ingredients until integrated, being careful not to overwork the meat.
MEATBALLS CONT.: Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop a heaping tablespoon of meat mixture, and roll it into an even-sized ball. It may be helpful to lightly grease your hands with cooking spray to make rolling the balls easier. Repeat this step with the remaining meat mixture, aiming to get about 28-30 evenly-sized meatballs.
BAKE: Evenly space the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, allowing plenty of space for each meatball, and generously spray with cooking spray. Bake the meatballs for 17 minutes. Then, use a sharp metal spatula and your fingers (be careful, they're hot!) to gently flip them over to the other side. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes (I do 8 more minutes) or until golden brown and cooked through.
SERVE: If desired, prepare pesto pasta for serving with these meatballs! Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add 1 tbsp fine sea salt. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Before draining, scoop out and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta, shake off excess water, but do not rinse. Meanwhile, measure out one full cup of pesto and add to a large ceramic/glass bowl. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, dump it on top of the pesto in the bowl. Drizzle on 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and use tongs to toss the pasta in the pesto. Continue to toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Add more pasta water ifneeded to make it cohesive and creamy. Add meatballs on top and spoon some extra pesto on top if desired. Drizzle on some lemon juice and Parmesan cheese and enjoy promptly!
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Notes
Note 1: Panko: Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and crispier than traditional breadcrumbs, which gives these meatballs a great texture. You can find them next to regular breadcrumbs in the baking aisle. Note 2: Parmesan: It's important to use the right type of Parmesan cheese to ensure that your meatballs don't end up too salty or with an odd flavor. Avoid using shelf-stable grated Parmesan--it doesn't have the same flavor as freshly grated cheese. Grab freshly grated (refrigerated) Parmesan here.Note 3: Pesto: To make sure your pesto pasta is bursting with flavor, use a high-quality pesto. You can of course make your own pesto, and if you choose that option, you've got to try my pesto recipe. (It's the best I've ever tried!) However, if you’re looking to save some time (you did make those meatballs after all!), I recommend picking up a refrigerated, freshly-made basil pesto from your local grocery store. Look for it near the refrigerated fresh pasta and gourmet cheese. Rana's® Basil Pesto is hands-down our fave.Nutrition information is calculated for one meatball with no sauce.