Easy Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls with Cucumber Salad

These Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls are a great recipe to meal prep for a busy weeknight if you want something healthy! There are a few components, but everything comes together easily and the flavor combination of the Greek meatballs with a tomato & cucumber feta salad and dill yogurt sauce is delicious!

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

As a dietitian, I'm a big fan of bowls that can be easily customized. When it comes to dinner, I want everyone to be able to pick and choose what they want and how much of each. Serve these meatball bowls family-style to let everyone build their own bowl! You'll make delicious greek chicken meatballs, a simple yogurt dill sauce that resembles homemade tzatziki sauce, and a Greek salad with fresh veggies. Serve everything with rice, orzo pasta, of fresh pita bread!

If you enjoy this recipe, you may like my Southwest Chicken Bowls or Hot Honey Chicken Bowls.

Jump to:

Video of How to Make Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
How to Make Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls
Dietitian Tip
Variations
Meal Prep and Storage for Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls
Expert Tips
FAQ
Related
Breaking it Down
Perfect for Pairing
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Video of How to Make Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls

Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!

Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

These Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.

Greek chicken meatball bowl ingredients on a table.

Meatball Ingredients

Ground Chicken - lean ground chicken breast is a relatively inexpensive and high-quality protein. If you don't like ground chicken, you can use any ground meat! Ground turkey, ground beef, or ground pork would work well for these flavorful meatballs.
Egg - egg binds the breadcrumbs in meatballs.
Feta Cheese - traditional to Greek cooking, feta is a salty cheese that adds tons of flavor. I suggest getting a block of feta, rinsing it, and crumbling it yourself.
Red Onion - to add flavor and moisture.
Fresh Herbs - fresh mint and dill add tons of flavor and some antioxidants.
Lemon - you'll use both the lemon zest and a small bit of lemon juice for this recipe.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - just a bit of extra virgin olive oil adds moisture (no one wants tough meatballs)! Olive oil also adds heart-healthy fats that support brain health and hormone health.
Garlic Powder - I like to use garlic powder in this recipe because a little goes a long way, but you can use a minced garlic clove if you prefer.
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to tie the flavors together!

Greek Salad Ingredients

Cucumber -crunchy cucumbers like English cucumber or Persian cucumbers work best for this recipe. Both have fewer and smaller seeds and thinner skin than regular cucumbers.
Cherry Tomatoes - I suggest to use cherry or grape tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes add a pop of flavor and also contain vitamins C, potassium, and a powerful antioxidant called lycopene that helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
Bell Pepper - bell pepper adds more fresh flavor and nutrients. I use a red peppers because they're the sweetest variety. But you could use yellow, orange, or green bell peppers instead. Bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.
Red Onion - red onion adds a bit of sweetness and crunch. If you prefer, use a shallot for a milder onion flavor.
Fresh Herbs - this recipe calls for a combination of fresh parsley and fresh dill. If you want, you can also add fresh mint, fresh basil, or fresh oregano, too.
Kalamata Olives - to add a briny saltiness and heart-healthy fats.
Feta Cheese - again, I suggest using a block of feta and crumbling it yourself with your hands or a knife.
Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the saltiness of the feta. It’s also high in vitamin C, an important nutrient for immune health.
Red Wine Vinegar - a tangy and slightly sweet vinegar. Feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you prefer the taste.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - a little olive oil balances out the vinegar and lemon. You can substitute with avocado oil if you prefer.
Dijon Mustard - to emulsify the olive oil and lemon juice and to add flavor.
Garlic Powder & Dried Oregano - for an extra boost of flavor. Feel free to add some onion powder and red pepper flakes too.
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to tie everything together.

Yogurt Dill Sauce Ingredients

Greek Yogurt - I use nonfat greek yogurt because it doesn't have saturated fats, but you can use whole fat or reduced fat. Be sure to use plain yogurt and not sweetened or flavored yogurt for this recipe.
Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice not only brings a tangy flavor and the citric acid in lemon juice also acts as a natural preservative. Plus, it contains vitamin C which is important for your immune health!
Fresh Dill - fresh dill amps up the dill flavor and also provides some antioxidants. You can use dried dill instead if you prefer. If using dried, use one third of the amount.
Kosher Salt & Garlic Powder - to add more flavor. You can also add black pepper if you want.

For Assembling the Bowls

Rice - I like to use jasmine rice, but you can use whatever your favorite is! Brown rice will provide a bit more fiber, but it does take longer to cook so make time for it. I also like to use orzo pasta for these meatball bowls. Pita bread works great too!

How to Make Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls

Below are the instructions for how to make this easy recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.

greek chicken meatballs raw on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with a cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Combine the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture at a time and form into balls on in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. I use a cookie scoop for this. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165℉ (75°C) with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs, your sheet pan, and the oven.

Step 2: Cook the rice or orzo pasta according to the instructions on the package.

Step 3: Chop the vegetables, herbs, and olives for your Greek salad and add the dressing ingredients to the bottom of a large bowl. Add the vegetables, herbs, olives, and feta cheese and toss to combine.

overhead view of yogurt dill sauce in a glass bowl with a lemon in the background.

Step 4: Make the yogurt dill sauce by chopping the dill and combining all the ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar. If you prefer a creamier texture, you can blend it.

Step 5: Assemble the Greek chicken bowls with the rice, cooked meatballs, cucumber salad, and yogurt dill sauce. Top with more fresh parsley or feta (optional)

Hint: The trick to making this recipe is timing! Let your oven pre-heat and start boiling the water for your rice while you combine the meatball ingredients. Then make the tomato cucumber salad and yogurt sauce while the meatballs and rice cook!

Dietitian Tip

Chicken is a high-quality lean protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. It also contains important nutrients like B vitamins that support brain health, zinc, iron, and phosphorus. And as far as cost goes, chicken is an affordable protein that can be found at most grocery stores. Make this Greek chicken meatball recipe to add more of this lean protein in your diet!

Variations

One of the great things about these Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls is you can customize the recipe to your liking. Below are some suggestions for variations, but feel free to get creative and put your spin on it.

Spicy - add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a bit of a kick!
Low-Carb - serve it over cauliflower rice instead of white rice or pasta for a low-carb option.
Lemon Dill Rice - add more flavor to your rice by adding a squeeze of lemon and some fresh dill!

Meal Prep and Storage for Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls

I suggest storing the individual components of this recipe separately.

Meal Prep - meal prep in advance by chopping the veggies for the cucumber salad. You can also make the rice and the yogurt dill dressing in advance.
Storage for Chicken Meatballs- store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Storage for Rice - let the rice cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Storage for Greek Salad- store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Storage for Yogurt Dill Sauce - store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. A mason jar works perfectly. Or grab these single-serve dressing containers for on-the-go

side view of greek chicken meatball bowl wiht yogurt dill sauce.

Expert Tips

Finely chop the fresh herbs and onion for the meatballs so they evenly disperse.
Don't overmix the meatballs because it will cause them to get tough. Once the ingredients are well combined, you're good to go!
Use a cookie scoop to make evenly-sized meatballs to ensure they cook equally. You can also use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for the best flavor.
If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon instead of lemon juice from the bottle.

FAQ

Are these Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls healthy?

While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Chicken provides high-quality protein, the vegetables in the cucumber salad provide dietary fiber, antioxidants, and several vitamins and minerals, and the yogurt dill sauce provides some extra protein and calcium!

Can I use store-bought tzatziki instead of the yogurt dill sauce?

Absolutely! I love Cedar's brand of Tzatziki and use it often when serving Mediterranean food.

Where can I find feta in the grocery store?

Find feta cheese near the other cheeses in the dairy section of most grocery stores. You can buy it in a block and crumble it with your hands or buy it already crumbled. I suggest buying it in the block and crumbling it yourself because the feta that comes crumbled often has added ingredients and tastes drier.

Can I make the meatballs gluten-free?

Great question! If you want to make these gluten-free, use rolled oats or gluten-free breadcrumbs in place of the regular bread crumbs.

Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:

Breaking it Down

If you want to make the components and serve them in different recipes, here are the links!

Perfect for Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls:

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian

📖 Recipe