Pesto Chicken Meatball Bowls
I love a dish with preppable components that I can mix and match with meals throughout the week and these Pesto Chicken Meatball Bowls are just that. Starting with a base of high-protein bone broth rice and seasoned sweet potatoes. I like to serve mine with fresh arugula, for some extra greens as well. The sweet potatoes and meatballs get cooked on the same sheet pan for minimal dishes and everything gets topped with an herby, “creamy” cashew pesto sauce that stays good in the fridge for up to a week. This dish is a part of my component prep dinner plan, perfect for meal prepping parts of your dinner ahead of time, making weeknight evenings a breeze!
PEsto Chicken Meatballs ingredient notes:
Cashews: If you follow me over on Instagram, you know that I love cashews so much, I named my dog after them! They’re perfect for making creamy dressings or sauces without the dairy, and are a wonderful source of plant-based protein.
Pesto: I prefer to use a store-bought pesto in the cashew sauce to save time, however if you have extra basil, you can whip up a simple homemade pesto using pine nuts, or even leftover cashews!
Ground chicken: Using chicken for the meatballs is a leaner alternative than ground beef, however you could also use ground turkey here for an even leaner option. Pro tip: rub a little bit of olive oil on your hands before rolling the meatballs to prevent the mixture from sticking to you. Also see the recipe notes for searing instructions.
Sweet Potatoes: The sweetness of the potatoes adds the perfect balance for this otherwise herby meal. I like to cube mine, but you could also roast them in halves with the potato side down, which helps get that caramelized crunch on the edges for even more flavor.
Basil: Continuing on the pesto flavors, we are using a mix of both fresh and dried basil in this recipe. The fresh basil, which is optional for topping when serving, brings a vibrant element to the dish, whereas the dried basil is a more subtle herby flavoring throughout the meatballs. Basil is packed with antioxidants and essential oils that help reduce inflammation.
Pesto Chicken Meatballs
4
servings20
minutes40
minutesI love a dish with preppable components that I can mix and match with meals throughout the week and these Pesto Chicken Meatball Bowls are just that. Starting with a base of high-protein bone broth rice and seasoned sweet potatoes. I like to serve mine with fresh arugula, for some extra greens as well. The sweet potatoes and meatballs get cooked on the same sheet pan for minimal dishes and everything gets topped with an herby, “creamy” cashew pesto sauce that stays good in the fridge for up to a week. This dish is a part of my component prep dinner plan, perfect for meal prepping parts of your dinner ahead of time, making weeknight evenings a breeze!
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Ingredients
- FOR THE CASHEW PESTO SAUCE (yields about 1 cup)
2/3 cup raw cashews (unsalted)
1/4 cup pesto of choice
juice of 1 small lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste
- FOR THE BONE BROTH RICE
16 ounces chicken bone broth (can substitute vegetable broth or water)
1 cup brown rice, thoroughly rinsed
- FOR THE SWEET POTATOES
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- FOR THE CHICKEN MEATBALLS
1 small zucchini
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or blanched almond flour
zest of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- FOR SERVING
5 ounces arugula (curly kale or baby spinach also works)
finely chopped basil leaves (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a large sheet pan. Add the cashews to a glass jar or bowl and cover with 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Let soak on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
- Make the rice: Bring the bone broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 40 minutes. (See notes for white rice)
- Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and chili powder in a mixing bowl, then transfer to the sheet pan a single layer. Bake until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the meatball mix: Grate the zucchini with the large holes of a box grater and place it in the center of a clean kitchen towel. Gather the 4 corners securely into one hand while squeezing out as much liquid as possible with the other hand (you should have about 1 cup of grated zucchini). Transfer it to a mixing bowl along with the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, dried basil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper (save the zested lemon for step 6!). Mix until evenly combined.
- Bake the meatballs: Push the sweet potatoes to one side of the sheet pan, still in a single layer, clearing room for the meatballs. Form the meatball mixture into about 20 meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each) and with lightly oiled hands, roll until smoothed and place on the sheet pan, evenly spaced apart. Bake until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F, 10 to 12 minutes. For extra color, broil on high for the last 2 to 3 minutes. (See notes for searing option)
- Make the cashew sauce: Drain the water from the soaked cashews, catching it in a bowl to reserve for blending. Transfer the cashews to a food processor or blender along with 3/4 cup of the reserved water, the pesto, lemon juice, and the salt. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 45 seconds, adding additional water 2 tablespoons at a time as needed. Taste and add more salt if desired.
- Assemble the bowls: Between 4 bowls, evenly divide the arugula, bone broth rice, chicken meatballs, and sweet potatoes. Top each bowl with a drizzle of cashew pesto sauce and sprinkle with finely chopped basil (if using).
Notes
- Store it: Refrigerate the meatballs, sweet potatoes, and rice in separate sealed containers for up to 4 days. Freeze the meatballs and rice for up to 3 months. Refrigerate the Cashew Pesto in a sealed jar or container for up to 7 days.
- Reheat it: Microwave the meatballs, potatoes, and rice until warm. Alternatively, return the meatballs and potatoes to a small sheet pan and bake or airfry at 350ºF until warm, about 10 minutes.
- Searing option: If you prefer to cook the meatballs in a skillet instead of the oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the meatballs until browned on all sides and at an internal temperature of 165°F, about 15 minutes total.
- Save time: This is a recipe that includes multiple components, so it takes time to prep everything. I highly recommend prepping the cashew pesto sauce and bone broth rice ahead of time to make things much easier. If you want to save even more time, you can also prep the sweet potatoes and chicken meatballs ahead of time. The sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 7 days, and everything else can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- SWAPS AND SUBS
Bone broth: Swap for chicken broth, vegetable broth or water.
Rice: To swap white rice for brown rice, adjust the cook time to 15 to 20 minutes.
Chicken meatballs: Swap for two 14-ounce blocks of extra firm tofu, seasoned the same and baked until crispy.
Cashews: Swap for pine nuts, or macadamia nuts (soaked), or add a splash of cream or canned coconut milk to maintain the creaminess. - Pre-made, dairy-free pestos I love: Trader Joe’s and Gotham Greens.
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