Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Meatballs

I can't believe what a whirlwind the past few days have been!! I am so blessed to have been able to attend Mixed Con and brought back some very valuable information, as well as a couple of snazzy swag bags!! And as if that wasn't enough, I got to meet some of the ladies from my cooking forum and other amazing food bloggers, as well. Some that I have worked with in the past and others I have followed for years. I was a little star-struck, I must admit.

The conference was held in The Woodlands, Texas at The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center, and what a beautiful place it was!! The grounds were amazing, the weather was beautiful, and their on-site restaurant, Robard's Steakhouse, was to-die-for!! In case you missed the pictures on Instagram or Facebook...this was what I ate for lunch on Saturday:

Every single bite was delicious. The truffle fries with sweet 'n' spicy ketchup, the Caesar salad, the
perfectly cooked steak over whipped mashed potatoes with crisp-tender asparagus, and the desserts.
Good lawd they were good. Creme brulee, chocolate ganache cake and peanut butter pie - all in mini form!! And I am not being sponsored to write about my experience or the food or anything else - I just wanted to share my amazing weekend with you all!!

And while I definitely enjoyed my little weekend getaway and enjoying food that someone else prepared, I definitely missed being in the kitchen and cooking for J.

I have a bit of an obsession with meatballs, in case you hadn't noticed. But can you blame me? I mean, they are generally easy to prepare, they are so versatile that you can incorporate pretty much any flavor you want into them, and they're delicious!! So yes, I make many versions of them. This one, I have made a couple of times already and we love them. 

The meatballs have good seasoning on their own, but when you stuff them with melty mozzarella and then coat them in basil pesto, how can they be anything other than amazing??? Oh, and they're baked, so clean-up is also minimal. How much do you love me right now?

I can't blame you for that!! We at ours with rice, because...meatballs and rice = made for each other, but I'm thinking that these would also make a killer meatball sub. 

Is it time for lunch yet? Because all this talk of weekend food and these meatballs have my stomach growling and demanding to be fed. 

Ground chicken breast stuffed with melty mozzarella and coated in basil pesto sauce...too easy and delicious not to try!

Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Meatballs

As see on Sweet & Savory by Shinee

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken breast
• 1/2 cup  Panko
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup basil pesto, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2.5 oz  mini fresh mozzarella cheese balls

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, Panko, egg, garlic, salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of pesto. Mix well, using your hands for the best results. 
3. Using a medium cookie scoop, or a tablespoon, divide the meat mixture into uniform meatballs. You will get about 25-26 of them. Press your thumb into each meatball and place mini mozzarella ball in the middle. Form the meatball around the mozzarella ball and make sure it is fully covered and "sealed". 
4. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
5. Remove from the oven and place meatballs into a large bowl (I washed and re-used the same bowl that I made the meatball mixture in.) Add the remaining basil pesto to the bowl and stir or toss to coat the meatballs in the pesto and they're ready to serve!