Joline Loves Food

I know, more chicken meatballs???

But they're so good! And so easy- you can have the meatballs ready to cook in 10 minutes and they bake up in 20. 

Since it's hot, though, I kept the oven off and put these on the grill- first on foil, and then moved to the grates for the addition of tasty caramelized grill marks.

I didn't have quite enough basil for a batch of pesto, and I had some baby spinach that needed used up- and I didn't have any pinenuts, but I did have some walnuts... so the nuts were toasted in some foil on the grill and then combined with the basil, spinach, olive oil, salt and lots of parmesan cheese in the mini food processor and it was delicious! 

Chicken Meatballs
1 egg
1/2c fine dry or fresh breadcrumbs
1/4c grated parmesan cheese
1/2t onion powder
1/2t garlic powder
1/2t salt
1/2t pepper
2T milk
1lb ground chicken (always Trader Joe's!)

With a fork, mix together egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, onion and garlic powders, salt, pepper and milk. 

Add the chicken and use your fork to mix until combined. 

Use a cookie scoop to form balls then roll them with your hands to make them uniform.

Heat your grill on medium for about 5 minutes.

Put a piece of foil large enough to fit all of the meatballs on the grill and brush with olive oil.

Put the meatballs on the foil, let cook for around 8 minutes and then flip and cook for about 5 minutes- then flip again, trying to cook on as many "sides" of the meatballs as you can. 

Once the meatballs are firm, move them to the grates to get those good grill marks and to ensure that the meatballs are cooked through to 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

While the meatballs are cooking, boil the orzo until it is just aldente. 

Spinach and Basil Pesto
1/2c fresh basil
1/2c baby spinach
1/4c toasted walnuts
1/8 - 1/4c olive oil
1/3c grated parmesean cheese
salt

To toast the walnuts, wrap them in a small piece of foil and put them on the grill for about 10 minutes, turning every few minutes until they are lightly browned.

Once the walnuts are cooled add them, the basil, spinach, olive oil and a pinch of salt to a mini food processor and pulse until pureed. 

Add the cheese and then pulse until combined.

Stir some of the pesto into some of the orzo and serve in bowls topped with a few of the meatballs and a little more pesto.

While you're cooking on the grill in the heat you should have some sort of a cold, sparkling drink. Mine was a splash of tequila and a splash of orange liquor over ice and topped off with tangerine flavored sparkling water.