I love my meatballs and I think you already know that. So here's another special recipe you must try. These mozzarella-stuffed chicken pesto meatballs are divine!
1mediumred pepper (red capsicum) - deseeded and stem removed
4clovesgarlic
1handfulbasil - fresh
½cupParmesan cheese - grated
2tablespoonspesto
1mediumegg
1mediumegg white
1cupPanko breadcrumbs
1poundMozzarella cheese - cut into little cubes
1dashsalt
1dashground black pepper
2tablespoonsolive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the bell pepper, garlic, and basil to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Next, add about half of the chicken breasts and pulse until ground. Remove the chicken mixture and place it in a large bowl. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Once all of the chicken is ground and in the bowl, add the pesto, Parmesan, panko, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
To prepare the meatballs, grab a small handful (about the size of a golf ball) of the chicken mixture and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Add a mozzarella cube to the centre and form the meatball around it, being careful not to expose the cheese. Repeat until all of the meatballs are formed.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to the pan (fill it up, but make sure they aren’t touching) and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until brown. Remove meatballs from the skillet as they are done and place them on a large baking sheet, adding more meatballs to the skillet until all of them are brown.
Place the cookie sheet in your preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Remove, and brush the meatballs with some more prepared pesto. Return the pan to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked to a safe 165 degrees.