Paired with a Brown Ale
Happy Wednesday, friends! I hope you all had wonderful Memorial Day weekends! While I absolutely love visiting my family back east, I have to say that it feels good to be back home. I feel like I’ve been going, going, going, and haven’t had the chance to get any housework done, gardening accomplished, or the ability to just sit and do absolutely nothing!
Another thing I missed while I was away, was cooking and baking all of the things. I think you guys can certainly relate. It’s like you need a vacation from your vacation! I plan on spending the next 5 days whipping up some delicious dishes.
These pesto chicken meatballs have been sitting in the old Cooking and Beer vault for over a month. In my attempt to get super ahead knowing that I would be gone for a couple of weeks, I may have overdone it a bit. I have so many recipes that I need to share with you that it’s almost overwhelming! These pesto chicken meatballs are just one of those recipes. They are seriously perfect, and while chicken is the star of the show, these meatballs are anything but dry.
Give them a go this spring, and pair them with a brown ale! Stick a toothpick in them for the perfect appetizer, or serve them with a side of pasta for the perfect main course! Either way, they are super delicious!
Yields 4-6
15 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (I used a blend of thigh and breast)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, pesto, parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper. Fold the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are evenly dispersed. If the mixture is too wet to form meatballs, add more breadcrumbs until the mixture holds together. Form the mixture into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and set them on a large plate or baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
- Add the olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, and sear on all sides until brown, about 5 minutes total. Cover the pan with a lid of foil and place it directly in the oven. Bake the meatballs for 18-20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside to keep warm.
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare your whipped ricotta. In the bowl of your stand mixer with whisk attachment fixed, add the ricotta cheese and milk. Mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Fold in the lemon zest. Set aside.
- Serve the pesto chicken meatballs with the whipped ricotta. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and enjoy!
