Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls with Cucumber Feta Salad

These Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls are a great recipe if you're looking for something nutritionally balanced and (most importantly) delicious that you can meal prep ahead of time. 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 one I come back to again and again! 😊

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! Think of it as all the best flavors of Greece packed into one recipe.

If you enjoy this recipe, you may like my Greek Chicken and Rice Bowl, baked turkey and feta meatballs, Greek White Bean Salad, Southwest Chicken Bowls or Hot Honey Chicken Bowls.

Jump to:

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

Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for measurements.

Meatball Ingredients

• Ground Chicken - I use lean ground chicken breast for these meatballs because it's a lean protein and it goes really well with the lemon for an authentic Greek pairing. If you don't like ground chicken, you can use any ground meat! Ground turkey, ground beef, or ground pork would work.  
• 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.  
• Egg - egg binds the breadcrumbs in the meatballs.
• 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 

• English Cucumbers - you'll use a whole cucumber for this salad. I don't peel mine and I like to dice it, but you can peel it or do slices or chunks if you prefer it that way. When it comes to the type of fresh cucumbers to use, crunchy cucumbers like English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers work best for this recipe. Both are crisp cucumbers with fewer seeds and thinner skin than regular cucumbers.
• Fresh Tomatoes -  when it comes to type of tomatoes, I use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and cut them into halves or quarters. With that said, any fresh tomato in season will work great. Juicy tomatoes add a pop of flavor and also contain vitamin C, potassium, and a powerful antioxidant called lycopene that helps protect cells from oxidative stress.  
• Red Bell Pepper - bell pepper adds a sweet flavor and nutrients. I use a red peppers because they're my personal favorite. But you could use yellow, orange, or green bell peppers instead. Bell peppers provides vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. 
• Red Onion - red onion adds a bit of sweetness and crunch. I dice my onions, but you can cut them into thin slices instead if you want. If you prefer a more mild onion flavor, use a shallot or soak your red onions in water for about 10 minutes and then give them a rinse before adding them to the salad.
• 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.
• Kalamata Olives - to add a briny saltiness and heart-healthy fats. You can use green olives or a combination instead. Feel free to leave the olives out if you don't like them.
• Feta Cheese - creamy feta cheese is a great way to add even more flavor to this delicious salad and the salty flavor pairs nicely with the fresh vegetables. I suggest using a block of feta cheese and either cutting it into small cubes with a knife or crumbling it yourself with your hands for the best flavor.
• Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the flavor of the feta. It also contains vitamin C, an important nutrient for immune health.  
• Red Wine Vinegar - a tangy and acidic vinegar. You'll only use a small amount but if you want a good substitute that has a more mild flavor, use white wine vinegar instead. I've even made similar recipes using balsamic vinegar and it's a bit sweeter but a good substitute.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil -  a good olive oil balances out the vinegar and lemon.
• Dijon Mustard - just a little bit to emulsify the olive oil and lemon juice and add flavor.
• Garlic Powder & Dried Oregano - for an extra boost of flavor. Feel free to add some red pepper flakes if you want a little kick of spice.  
• Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to tie everything together.

Yogurt Dill Sauce Ingredients

• Plain Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt is a creamy base and provides protein and calcium. For a thicker sauce, use full fat Greek yogurt. Use fat free yogurt if you want to cut back on calories and saturated fats. It will still be creamy and flavorful! If you don't like the taste of Greek yogurt, you could substitute with skyr (Icelandic yogurt) which is slightly less tangy.
• Fresh Dill - fresh dill adds tons of fresh flavor and antioxidants. You can use dried dill if you're in a pinch. If using dried, use one third of the amount.
• Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice brings a slightly sweet flavor. The citric acid in lemon juice also acts as a natural preservative and contains vitamin C.
• Garlic Powder - garlic is an easy way to add flavor. I like using garlic powder because it's concentrated and distributes evenly. Feel free to use fresh garlic instead. If doing so, I suggest to grate the garlic.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - an easy way to add healthy fats and mellow out the strong flavors of the yogurt and dill.
• Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to tie everything together.

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. If you want a rice alternative, orzo pasta or pita bread work 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! Check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.

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.

Video of How to Make Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls

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

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.

• 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 Garlic Rice - add more flavor to your rice by adding a squeeze of lemon and some fresh parsley.
• With Potatoes - serve with oven roasted baby potatoes instead of rice for a fiber rich option.
• Change up the Chicken - replace the meatballs with a simple chicken breast marinated in Greek yogurt chicken marinade.

Storage for Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls

I suggest storing the individual components of this recipe separately. 

• Chicken Meatballs Storage - store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Rice Storage - let the rice cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
• Greek Salad Storage - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Yogurt Dill Sauce Storage - 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

FAQ

Related

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 they are:

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

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