Herbed Chicken Meatball Marinara with Zoodles & Pesto
These oven-baked, flavor-packed chicken meatballs are the perfect pairing with zoodles and our homemade pesto.
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Note: If following our Fix Your Gut 7-Day Meal Plan, save meatballs, zoodles and pesto separately; combine before serving (heat, if desired).
Ingredients
Meatballs
4 oz cremini mushrooms, halved
¼ cup roughly chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1½ tsp avocado oil
1 lb ground chicken
1 large egg
2 tbsp unsalted Italian seasoning
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
3 cups marinara sauce
Pesto
1 cup fresh basil
¼ cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp lemon zest + 1 tbsp
fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp avocado oil
Zoodles
2 tbsp avocado oil
4 zucchini, spiralized
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Prepare meatballs: Heat oven to 350°F. To a food processor, add mushrooms, onions and garlic and pulse until minced. In a small nonstick skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add mushroom mixture and sauté for 4 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Wipe out processor.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. To bowl with mushroom mixture, add chicken, egg, Italian seasoning, flaxseed, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Use your hands to thoroughly combine. Scoop out meatballs (about 2 tbsp per meatball) onto prepared sheet. Cover with marinara sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, prepare pesto: Place all pesto ingredients, except oil, into food processor. Pulse to finely chop. With motor running, add oil and process 30 seconds more.
4. Prepare zoodles: In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high, heat half of oil. Add half of zucchini and season with salt and pepper; sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining oil and zucchini. Toss pesto with zoodles then top with meatballs.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 4 meatballs, ¼ of zucchini, 1 tbsp pesto
- Calories 470
- Carbohydrate Content 24 g
- Cholesterol Content 144 mg
- Fat Content 30 g
- Fiber Content 6.5 g
- Protein Content 30 g
- Saturated Fat Content 5 g
- Sodium Content 406 mg
- Sugar Content 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 8 g