Greek Chicken Meatballs with Greek Salad and Tzatziki 🥗🍗
Welcome back, food lovers! Today, I have a delicious and healthy recipe for you: Greek Chicken Meatballs served with a vibrant Greek salad and homemade Tzatziki sauce. This dish is perfect for a light lunch or a satisfying dinner, and it’s packed with Mediterranean flavors that are sure to delight your taste buds. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken (93% lean) 🍗
- 1 large egg 🥚
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed) 🍞
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced 🧅
- 3 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped 🌿
- 1 tsp dried oregano 🌿
- 1 tsp salt 🧂
- ½ tsp black pepper 🌶️
Greek Salad:
- 3 hearts romaine, chopped 🥬
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 🍅
- 1 medium English cucumber, diced 🥒
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved 🫒
- ½ cup red onion, diced 🧅
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese 🧀
Tzatziki:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (0%, 2%, or 5%) 🥛
- ½ cup cucumber, grated on a box grater 🥒
- 1–2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice 🍋
- 2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped 🌿
- ½ tsp salt 🧂
- ½ tsp ground black pepper 🌶️
Instructions
Make the Meatballs:
- Preheat the Oven (if baking): Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 🔥
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, egg, panko breadcrumbs, red onion, garlic, parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients. 👩🍳
- Form Meatballs: Use a scooper or your hands to form 18-20 meatballs. Place them evenly on the lined baking sheet. 🍡
- Cook the Meatballs:
- Oven Method: Bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes or until fully cooked, with an internal temperature of 165°F. 🕒
- Stovetop Method: Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear the meatballs on all sides for about 3 minutes total. Reduce heat to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until fully cooked. 🍳
- Air Fryer Method: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C), spray with non-stick spray, and place the meatballs in the basket. Air fry for 8-12 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. 🌬️
Make the Tzatziki:
- Prepare the Cucumber: Grate the cucumber using a box grater and squeeze out the excess water using a cheesecloth or by hand. Alternatively, pat dry with a paper towel. 🥒
- Mix the Sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine all the tzatziki ingredients. Mix well and place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the salad. 🥣
Assemble the Salad:
- Prepare the Base: Add chopped romaine lettuce as the base for each individual bowl. 🥬
- Add the Veggies: Arrange cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta cheese on top of the lettuce. 🍅🫒🧅🧀
- Finish the Dish: Add the cooked chicken meatballs to each bowl and drizzle with the homemade tzatziki sauce. Enjoy your Greek Chicken Meatballs with a refreshing Greek salad! 😋
Final Thoughts
This recipe is a fantastic option for a quick, nutritious meal that’s full of flavor. The combination of juicy chicken meatballs, crisp salad, and creamy tzatziki is irresistible. Don’t forget to share your culinary creations with us!
Bon appétit! 🍽️
Feel free to share your feedback or any variations you tried with this recipe in the comments below. Until next time, happy cooking!
Greek Chicken Meatballs 🥗🍗
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken (93% lean) 🍗
1 large egg 🥚
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed) 🍞
⅓ cup red onion, diced 🧅
3 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped 🌿
1 tsp dried oregano 🌿
1 tsp salt 🧂
½ tsp black pepper 🌶️
Greek Salad:
3 hearts romaine, chopped 🥬
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 🍅
1 medium English cucumber, diced 🥒
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved 🫒
½ cup red onion, diced 🧅
⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese 🧀
Tzatziki:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (0%, 2%, or 5%) 🥛
½ cup cucumber, grated on a box grater 🥒
1–2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice 🍋
2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped 🌿
½ tsp salt 🧂
½ tsp ground black pepper 🌶️
Instructions
Make the Meatballs:
1️⃣ If cooking in the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 🔥
2️⃣ In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, panko breadcrumbs, red onion, garlic, parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Gently mix with your hands to fully combine. 👩🍳
3️⃣ Using a scooper or your hands, create 18–20 meatballs. Evenly space them across the lined baking sheet. 🍡
4️⃣ Oven: Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until fully cooked (165°F internal temperature). 🕒
5️⃣ Stovetop: Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and chicken meatballs. Sear on all sides for about 3 minutes total, then reduce heat to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until fully cooked through. 🍳
6️⃣ Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C), spray with non-stick spray, and evenly place chicken meatballs across the basket. Air fry for 8–12 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. 🌬️
Make the Tzatziki:
7️⃣ Grate the cucumber using a box grater and squeeze out excess water using a cheesecloth or by hand. Alternatively, pat dry with a paper towel. 🥒
8️⃣ In a mixing bowl, combine all the tzatziki ingredients and place in the fridge while you prepare the salad. 🥣
Assemble the Salad:
9️⃣ Add chopped romaine lettuce as a base for each individual bowl. 🥬
🔟 Arrange cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta cheese. 🍅🫒🧅🧀
1️⃣1️⃣ Add cooked chicken meatballs to each bowl and drizzle with homemade tzatziki sauce. Enjoy! 😋