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Lemon basil chicken meatballs on a black plate.
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Lemon basil chicken meatballs

Pesto chicken meatballs in a lemony sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword chicken meatballs, lemon basil, pesto
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 397kcal
Author Eva | Electric Blue Food

Equipment

  • Food processor optional
  • Skillet
  • Mixing bowl
  • Oven tray

Ingredients

  • 500 g ground chicken
  • 15 g fresh basil stems removed
  • ½ lemon zested and juiced
  • 25 g parmesan grated
  • 20 g pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 30 g breadcrumbs
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 35 g butter divided
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Add the basil leaves to a food processor together with the garlic, parmesan and lemon zest. Blitz until finely minced.
  • Add the ground chicken, herb mix, salt, breadcrumbs and egg to a bowl and work with a hand until all incorporated and homogeneous.
  • Make the meatballs rolling a small amount (20 g) of meat mix between your hands. Lay on a tray lined with baking paper. Place in the freezer for 20 min to firm up.
  • Add 20 g of butter and the olive oil to a skillet and warm on medium heat. Take the meatballs out of the freezer and give a quick roll up to smoothen the spiky appearance. Add to pan. They are soft, so careful not to throw them too hard or they will lose their shape.
  • Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, moving them around constantly so all the sides touch the hot surface. When browned all over, lower to medium, cover with a lid and cook 10 minutes. Remove the lid and give them another 2 minutes to brown some more.
  • Set cooked meatballs aside, keep the pan on medium heat and pour in the lemon juice. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice, then add remaining butter and stir to combine. Return the meatballs and toss them around to coat them in the lemony glaze.

Notes

The nutritional information provided is made with an online calculator and meant to be used as a guideline only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 738mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg