Recipe by Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh, Recipe Developer and Food Blogger, Healthyish Foods
Prep Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 40 mins Serves: 5
This creamy baked pesto pasta with chicken meatballs is the perfect weeknight meal. Loaded with juicy, tender chicken meatballs, creamy pesto pasta and fresh herbs, you’re going to love this recipe.
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Sauce:
8-10 ounces pasta, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons salted butter
½ cup shallots, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
¼ cup pesto, store bought is fine,
½ – ¾ cup pasta water
4 ounces cream cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
½ cup shredded mozzarella
fresh basil
For the Chicken Meatballs:
1 lb. ground chicken, Smart Chicken
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil, or avocado oil for frying
Directions
Preheat the oven 350°F. Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package. Al dente is best as the pasta will continue to cook in the oven. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and drain the remaining water using a colander. Set the pasta aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, olive oil, Italian breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cracked black pepper. Mix until well combined then form the mixture into meatballs. I was able to get 25 meatballs. Heat a neutral oil in a skillet over medium high heat. I used avocado oil. Shallow fry the meatballs until they are golden brown on all sides. Place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Next, heat a 3.5-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Add butter and sauté the minced garlic and diced shallots. Once lightly browned, add the pesto and ½ – ¾ cup pasta water. Mix well. Next, add the cream cheese and whisk until everything is well combined. If the sauce gets too tight, add more pasta water. Turn off the heat on the sauce. You do not want it to get too thick as the pasta will absorb a lot of the moisture.
Next, add the cooked pasta into the saucepan with the creamy pesto sauce. Top with the grated parmesan cheese and mix well. Nestle the meatballs into the pasta and sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper and parsley. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve hot and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
serving: 1 serving, calories: 531kcal, carbohydrates: 21g, protein: 30g, fat: 37g, saturated fat: 16g, polyunsaturated fat: 3g, monounsaturated fat: 11g, trans fat: 0.2g, cholesterol: 173mg, sodium: 1323mg, potassium: 821mg, fiber: 2g, sugar: 6g, vitamin a: 1216IU, vitamin c: 6mg, calcium: 333mg, iron: 3mg