Mediterranean Meatball Bowl Recipe

Mediterranean Chicken Meatball Bowls with pita bread and orzo

Mediterranean Meatball Bowl Recipe

This Mediterranean Chicken Meatball Bowl pairs juicy chicken meatballs with orzo, cucumber tzatziki, and a slew of fresh toppings like olives, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword mediterranean meatball bowls

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 783kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Feta Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, about 2 ounces
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon canola oil, if pan-frying
1 tablespoon butter, if pan-frying

Bowls

3 cups lemon rice, (or use orzo or quinoa)
½ cup tzatziki (or cucumber dill sauce or hummus)
your favorite Mediterranean-style vegetables* (see suggestions below)

Instructions

Combine the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine 1 pound ground chicken, ½ cup panko, ½ 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 ¼ 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.
Form the meatballs. Use a small scoop (4 cm) to form meatballs into 1 ½-inch balls and place on a cutting board. Dampen your hands and lightly shape and roll the meatballs between your palms and place on a baking sheet or cutting board. If baking the meatballs, evenly space them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
Fry or bake the meatballs. 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 ½ - 2 minutes so they slowly brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total.
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.
Plate the meatballs with your favorite Mediterranean accents. These choose-your-own-adventure bowls can be made with any combination of your favorite Mediterranean toppings like those suggested in the ingredient list above. To each bowl, add 6 meatballs, ¾ cup orzo, lemon rice, or quinoa, with 2 tablespoons tzatziki, cucumber dill sauce, or hummus, and your favorite toppings.

Notes

Topping ideas: Chopped little gem lettuce or romaine, diced tomato or roasted tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, sliced red onion, avocado, marinated chickpeas, sliced artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, roasted red bell pepper, feta cheese, chopped pistachios or almonds, and more chopped fresh herbs.

Nutrition