These delicious Greek Chicken Meatballs are so tasty and an easy protein recipe for busy weeknights. Serve with a Greek salad, homemade tzatziki sauce, and rice, lemon orzo, or fresh pita bread for a healthy dinner with great flavor and leftovers for the next day!
As a dietitian, one of my favorite genres of food is Mediterranean and Greek cuisine is at the top of the list. These chicken meatballs are a combination of simple ingredients commonly found in Greek food including creamy feta cheese, fresh dill & mint, a little olive oil and lemon zest. They come together in minutes and bake in the oven for 20 minutes to a perfect golden brown.
This recipe was inspired by my Turkey Meatballs and Sage Chicken Meatballs. I wanted something similar for the Spring and summer months and this quickly became one of my favorite meatball recipes of all time! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
One of my favorite ways to serve these is in a Greek Chicken Meatball Bowl with rice or pita bread, a Greek salad with English cucumber, tomatoes, and kalamata olives, and a simple Greek yogurt dill sauce.
Jump to:
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Below are the Greek Chicken Meatball ingredients. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.
- Lean Ground Chicken - ground chicken breast is a relatively inexpensive and high-quality protein. If you don't like lean 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
How to Make Greek Chicken Meatballs
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.
- 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. Finely chop the red onion and fresh herbs and crumble the feta cheese. Combine ingredients in a large bowl.
- Step 2: Mix using either your hands, a wooden spoon, or a spatula. I use my hands for this part. Make sure all the ingredients are well distributed but don't overmix.
- Step 3: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture at a time and form into balls in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. I use a cookie scoop for this.
- Step 4: Bake in the preheated 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.
Hint: finely chop the onions and herbs and use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized meatballs
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 Meatballs 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 to the meat mixture for some spice.
- Tuscan - add sun-dried tomatoes and replace the dill & mint with fresh parsley or fresh oregano, and replace the feta with parmesan cheese for an Italian flare.
- Pan-Sear - add more flavor by first pan-searing them in an oven-safe skillet in olive oil on medium to medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown them before popping them into the oven until they are cooked through.
How to Serve Greek Chicken Meatballs
Now that you have a batch of these delicious healthy meatballs, you can serve them in many different ways! Below are some ideas for serving.
- Classic Greek Appetizer serve these Greek meatballs with a creamy tzatziki sauce or a yogurt dill sauce as part of an appetizer board.
- In a Meatball Bowl - add rice or orzo pasta to a small bowl with a Greek salad, the meatballs, lemon wedges, and drizzle a yogurt sauce made with fresh ingredients on top of the meatballs for a complete meal!
- With Pasta - serve these Greek chicken meatballs with a simple pasta and a delicious sauce like my Green Pasta Sauce made with fresh basil and spinach. For a low carb option, try them on top of lemon zucchini noodles.
- In a Grain Bowl - add these juicy meatballs to a grain bowl with brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa and your favorite vegetables and sauce. I love adding these on top of my Nourish Bowl recipe.
- Meatball Sandwich - turn it into a meatball sandwich by cutting these meatballs in half and serving with your favorite sauce between two slices of crusty sourdough bread.
- On Top of Salad - if you need protein to add to a salad, these meatballs go great with many salad dressings.
- On Homemade Pizza or Flatbread - cut the meatballs into pieces and add on top of homemade pizza or a flatbread with more feta and tomatoes,
Storage
- Meal Prep - meal prep in advance by chopping red onion and herbs.
- Refrigerator - let them cool to room temperature and then store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop in a large skillet, in your air fryer, in the oven at 350℉ (177°C) or in the microwave.
- Freezer - store the cooked meatballs in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. If stored in the freezer, I suggest freezing them before adding sauce. To defrost, put the meatballs in the fridge overnight until thawed and then reheat on the stovetop, in the oven at 350℉ (177°C) or in the microwave.
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
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Chicken provides high-quality protein and nutrients like vitamin B12 and zinc. The fresh herbs provide some antioxidants!
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.
Great question! If you want to make these gluten-free, use rolled oats or gluten-free breadcrumbs in place of the regular bread crumbs.
The key to getting a moist chicken meatball is the *finely diced* onion and the olive oil! Grating or very finely dicing the onion gets the moisture out, and olive oil helps make sure everything is coated with moisture. The combination of these ingredients really makes a difference.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Greek Chicken Meatballs:
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
Easy Greek Chicken Meatballs with Feta & Lemon, Baked
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh dill, loosely packed, chopped
- 3 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zest of whole and juice of half
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 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. Finely chop the red onion and fresh herbs and crumble the feta cheese.
- Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix using either your hands, a wooden spoon, or a spatula. I use my hands for this part. Make sure all the ingredients are well distributed but don't overmix.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture at a time and form into balls in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. I use a cookie scoop for this.
- Bake in the preheated 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.
- Hint: finely chop the onions and herbs and use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized meatballs
Notes
- Don't overmix the meatballs because it will cause them to get tough. Once the ingredients are well combined, you're good to go!
- 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.
- Meal Prep - meal prep in advance by chopping red onion and herbs.
- Refrigerator - let them cool to room temperature and then store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop in a large skillet, in your air fryer, in the oven at 350℉ (177°C) or in the microwave.
- Freezer - store the cooked meatballs in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. If stored in the freezer, I suggest freezing them before adding sauce. To defrost, put the meatballs in the fridge overnight until thawed and then reheat on the stovetop, in the oven at 350℉ (177°C) or in the microwave.
Comments
No Comments