Pimento Cheese Chicken Meatballs

Bring a taste of the south to your next tailgate or party with these juicy, tender, and addictive Pimento Cheese Chicken Meatballs. With just a few simple ingredients, these cheesy meatballs should come with a warning.

If having a slight pimento cheese addition is wrong, I don’t want to be right. Whether is the savory flavors added to Pimento Cheese Hashbrown Casserole or these impossibly juicy one bite nuggets, it makes everything better. Not only do the common ingredients found in traditional pimento cheese bring bold flavor like Worcestershire sauce, sharp cheddar, and onion, but those same ingredients, like mayo, are also what give these baked chicken meatballs their crave worthy texture.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Texture – Ground chicken can sometimes get a bad rap for being dry. These pimento cheese meatballs are tender, moist, delicate, and juicy. You’ll never look at ground chicken the same way.
• Flavor Profile – Using ground chicken as the base allows the flavors of pimento cheese to shine. If you crave savory things, this meatball recipe is for you!
• Make Ahead – These meatballs can be prepped in advance and kept refrigerated until you’re ready to bake them off. Not only does it make them ideal for any occasion, but they’re actually better if they bake cold. In addition, once baked, these also freeze extremely well!

Ingredients

• Ground Chicken – I used 92% lean ground chicken for this, but if ground chicken breast is what you like feel free to use that.
• Mayonnaise – Not only is this the classic creamy base for pimento cheese, but it also gives amazing moisture to these pimento cheese meatballs. Use a high-quality mayo for the best flavor. Here in the south Duke’s is the only answer.
• Cheese – Either sharp or extra sharp cheddar will give the boldest cheesy flavor in these meatballs, but you can easily swap the cheese for your favorite. Because there are other wet ingredients avoid super melty cheeses like Monterey jack or pepper jack.
• Spices – Garlic powder, sweet paprika, a pinch of cayenne, and salt and pepper are all you need.
• Flavor Accents – Dijon mustard and Worcestershire add tang and umami while sweet onions, a jalapeno, and parsley add freshness.
• Pimentos – These mild and sweet diced peppers add a confetti of color to these baked chicken meatballs. You can usually find them in a jar in the olive/pickle aisle of your grocery store.
• Binder – Panko breadcrumbs and an egg hold these delicate meatballs together. Make sure that you’re using plain panko, and not Italian flavored.

How to Make Pimento Cheese Chicken Meatballs

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set asside.
• Sauté your vegetables. Heat a skillet over medium heat with the oil. Add the onion and jalapeno if you’re using it. Let them cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and tender, 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the drained pimentos, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
• Whisk together the egg mixture. Add the mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and spices to a small bowl and whisk to completely combine.
• Mix together the pimento cheese meatballs. Add the ground chicken, shredded cheese, cooled vegetable mixture, and egg mixture to a large bowl and carefully and gently mix together to combine.

• Make a test patty. Pinch off a small portion of the meatball mixture and cook it in a skillet. Give it a taste and add any additional salt if needed.
• Form your meatballs. Use a tablespoon or 1″ scoop to form your meatballs, placing them on the baking sheet. The mixture will be slightly sticky and wet.
• Let the chicken meatballs refrigerate. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and allow them to set up for at least 30-60 minutes. You can do this portion the day before.
• Bake the meatballs. Allow the meatballs to bake in a 400-degree oven for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden and 165 degrees, 18-20 minutes. You can also bake these on the grill.

Variations

• Instead of ground chicken you can use ground turkey.
• To make this recipe gluten free use your favorite gluten free panko.
• If you like things spicy add an additional jalapeno or replace half of the cheese with habanero cheese.
• Use your favorite cheese in this recipe. For a smoky flavor profile add smoked gouda or smoked cheddar.

Storage

• If assembling your meatballs a day ahead, carefully wrap the baking sheet in plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake.
• Once the pimento cheese meatballs have baked they will last up to five days in the refrigerator. Keep them sealed in an airtight container. To reheat them you can either warm them up in a skillet, place them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or microwave them. They’re also delicious cold.
• To freeze the cooked meatballs place them on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the freezer until the meatballs are mostly frozen, 30-60 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to freezer safe bags. They’ll last for up to two months in the freezer. To defrost them remove them from the freezer the day before and place in the refrigerator.

Tips From the Beach

• The key to any and all good pimento cheese recipes, whether it’s a traditional pimento cheese spread or these meatballs, is to hand grate your cheese. Not only are you going to have the best flavor but you’ll also have the best texture.
• Don’t skip the step of refrigerating these pimento cheese chicken meatballs prior to baking. This is a wetter meatball mixture, and it allows them to harden slightly.
• These can be baked on any type of grill. For a pellet grill preheat it to 400 degrees and follow the same instructions as the oven. For a gas grill or charcoal grill you will want to bake these on indirect heat. If you’re cooking these on a charcoal grill bank the charcoal to the side and place the baking sheet on the cooler side. You will want to rotate the baking sheet halfway through cooking. For a gas grill don’t ignite all of your burners and place the baking sheet on the cooler side.
• The key to tender meatballs is not over working the meat. Adding your panko to the vegetable mixture not only helps hydrate the dried breadcrumbs but also allows for less mixing.

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