Herby Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs
These Mediterranean chicken meatballs are loaded with fresh herbs and briny feta and can be cooked in a skillet or in the oven. They’re an easy, flavor-packed dinner for busy weeknights and can be added to salads and grain bowls, or served as an easy appetizer.
These Herbaceous Chicken Meatballs Have Serious Mediterranean Flair
Juicy ground chicken gets a serious upgrade with a sprinkling of fresh dill and mint, a generous crumble of salty feta, and just enough panko to keep everything perfectly tender.
These Mediterranean chicken meatballs are weeknight heroes , you can toss them in a skillet or bake them in the oven, so pick whichever cooking method you prefer. Either way, you’ll end up with a batch of bright, herby meatballs that were basically made for meal prep.
Honestly, I could eat these straight from the pan and call it dinner, but after nibbling on one (you know, for science) I like to pile them into my Mediterranean meatball bowls with all my favorite fixings, like tzatziki, diced cucumber, marinated chickpeas, and lemon rice.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Chill for 15 minutes so the breadcrumbs can soften. Since there’s no milk in this meatball recipe that we can use to pre-soften the breadcrumbs, you’ll need to chill the meatball mixture for about 15 minutes.
This gives the breadcrumbs time to soak up some moisture and makes for a more tender meatball once cooked.
Dampen your hands for mess-free rolling. Trying to roll the raw chicken mixture with dry hands usually ends with half of it sticking to my skin.
Dampening my hands periodically under cold tap water prevents this from happening.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground chicken , Dark meat ground chicken will provide a little extra moisture, but any kind will do. If you’ve got ground turkey, that can also be used!
- Panko breadcrumbs, Are lighter and airier, which make for more tender meatballs.
- Feta, Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for a richer, creamier texture.
- Egg, Provides moisture and binds the meatball mixture together.
- Herbs, For maximum Mediterranean flavor, opt for fresh dill and mint rather than dried.
- Garlic + onion , I prefer using red onion in this recipe because it’s sweeter and less pungent than yellow onion.
How to Make Mediterranean-Style Chicken Meatballs
- Combine the ingredients. I always use my hands to mix meatballs together. Using a wooden spoon or spatula can sometimes lead to accidental over-mixing, which makes the meatballs tough.
- Chill for 15 minutes. You want the breadcrumbs to soften and soak up some moisture before you try rolling the meatballs.
- Shape into 1 ½-inch balls. A small cookie scoop makes quick work of this.
- Pick your cooking method! Both pan frying and baking the meatballs requires about 15 minutes. If I still need to prep the sides, I’ll often bake the meatballs, but if I’ve got my ducks in a row and am able to watch them in the pan then I’ll cook them on the stovetop.
Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs
These Mediterranean chicken meatballs are loaded with fresh herbs and briny feta and can be cooked in a skillet or in the oven for a fast weeknight meal or easy appetizer.
Ingredients
Makes: 4 servings
- 1poundground chicken
- 1/2cuppanko bread crumbs
- 1/2cupcrumbled feta cheese (, about 2 ounces)
- 1egg(, lightly beaten)
- 2garliccloves (, pressed or minced)
- 2tablespoonsfinely chopped red onion
- 2tablespoonsfinely chopped fresh dill
- 2tablespoonsfinely chopped fresh mint
- 1teaspoondried oregano
- 1teaspoonkosher salt
- 1/4teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 1tablespooncanola oil (, if pan-frying)
- 1tablespoonbutter (, if pan-frying)
- tzatziki or cucumber dill sauce (, for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine 1 pound ground chicken, 1/2 cup panko, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 lightly beaten egg, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Dampen your hands with water and gently knead the ingredients together until blended. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 15 minutes for the breadcrumbs to soften, or up to overnight.
- 2
Form the meatballs. Use a small scoop (4 cm) to form meatballs into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cutting board. Dampen your hands, and lightly shape and roll the meatballs between your palms, then place on a baking sheet or cutting board. If baking the meatballs, evenly space them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
- 3
To fry the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a large, non-stick skillet over medium until the butter melts. Place half of the meatballs in the skillet and cook, gently turning the meatballs every 1 1/2 – 2 minutes so they slowly brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total.
- 4
To bake the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spritz the meatballs with cooking spray or olive oil to encourage browning. Bake until no longer pink inside, about 15 minutes, then broil on high for another 5 minutes for a deliciously crispy crust. Remove from the oven.
- 5
Serve and enjoy! Serve immediately or at room temperature with Greek salad, lemon rice or orzo, with tzatziki or cucumber dill sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Per serving
Notes
To store: Let the meatballs cool before storing airtight in the fridge. They’ll last up to 5 days. To freeze: Baked meatballs can be frozen in a zip-top freezer bag for 3 months. You can also shape the meatballs, then freeze in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray to harden (about 1 hour) before transferring to a zip-top freezer bag. When ready to cook, thaw overnight and proceed with the recipe as instructed.
What to Serve With These Meatballs
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Greek Watermelon Salad
- Cucumber Salad with Dill
- Greek Potato Salad
- Herbaceous Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Lemon Rice
