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Greek chicken meatballs are tender, flavorful, and easy enough for a weeknight dinner. They’re lighter than traditional beef meatballs but still satisfying, making them just as good tucked into pita wraps as they are served over rice or alongside a Greek salad.
Crumbled feta gives them their signature Greek flavor, while a simple panade keeps the chicken moist and tender. Baking the meatballs in a hot oven makes them easy to prepare and cooks an entire batch at once with very little hands-on time.
Serve them with tzatziki sauce, warm homemade pita bread, and a Greek salad for an easy Mediterranean-inspired meal.
Here’s Why This Greek Chicken Meatballs Recipe Works
The panade keeps the meatballs tender: I use the onion juices as part of the panade. They soak into the panko and help keep the ground chicken tender.
Feta and Parmesan build flavor: Feta adds bright, tangy flavor with little salty pockets throughout the meatballs, while Parmesan brings a deeper savory note that rounds everything out.
Baking makes them easy to cook: A hot oven cooks the meatballs quickly and evenly without standing over a skillet. A quick pass under the broiler adds color without drying out the centers.
They stay versatile: These meatballs are just as good served for dinner as they are tucked into wraps, added to grain bowls, or packed for lunches later in the week.
Ingredient Notes
Ground chicken: Use ground chicken with a little fat if you can find it. Very lean ground chicken can still work, but it needs the panade and careful cooking to stay tender.
Finely grated onion: Grate the onion directly into the mixing bowl and keep the juices. That liquid is part of what keeps these baked chicken meatballs moist.
Panko breadcrumbs and milk: This is the panade. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs soften before you add the rest of the ingredients.
Feta cheese: Very finely crumbled feta distributes more evenly through the mixture, so you get flavor without large pockets that can make shaping harder.
Parmesan cheese: Parmesan adds a savory background note and helps season the meatballs.
Dill, oregano, garlic, and lemon zest: These ingredients give the meatballs their Greek-inspired flavor. Lemon zest adds brightness without adding extra liquid to the mixture.
Recipe Tips
Grate the onion into the bowl: Keep all of the onion juices so they can soak into the panko and help tenderize the meatballs.
Let the panade sit: Give the panko, milk, and onion juices 5 minutes to soften before adding the chicken.
Mix gently: Stop as soon as the ground chicken is evenly combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense.
Keep your hands damp: A little water on your hands makes the sticky mixture much easier to shape.
Use a cookie scoop: A 2-tablespoon scoop keeps the meatballs even so they bake at the same rate.
Check with a thermometer: Pull the meatballs when the centers reach 165°F so they stay juicy.
What to Serve with Greek Chicken Meatballs
Greek chicken meatballs pair well with simple Mediterranean sides. Serve them over lemon rice with a Greek salad, or add roasted vegetables for an easy weeknight dinner.
For a mezze-style spread, include hummus, olives, fresh vegetables, and warm pita. They also work well tucked into wraps or spooned over grain bowls for an easy lunch.
How to Keep Chicken Meatballs Tender
Because ground chicken is naturally lean, it’s easy to overwork or overcook. Mix the meatball mixture just until combined, then bake until the centers reach 165°F.
The panade made with panko, milk, and grated onion helps lock in moisture, and a quick broil at the end adds color without drying out the meatballs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Ground turkey works well in this recipe. Use the same amount and cook the meatballs until the centers reach 165°F.
Chicken meatballs usually become dry when they’re overmixed or overcooked. Mix the ingredients just until combined and avoid baking them longer than necessary.
Yes. Freeze the cooked, cooled meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.
Yes, but the mixture is soft and a little sticky, so shape the meatballs gently and cook them in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until they’re browned and cooked through.
Baked Chicken Meatballs with Feta
These baked chicken meatballs with feta are easy enough for a weeknight dinner but versatile enough for wraps, grain bowls, mezze platters, and meal prep. They’re tender, flavorful, and pair well with cool, tangy sauces like tzatziki.
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Greek Chicken Meatballs
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Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion, finely grated (including the juices)
- ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large large egg
- ½ cup feta cheese, very finely crumbled
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds ground chicken
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Finely grate the onion into a large mixing bowl, including all of the onion juices.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs and milk, then stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid and soften.
- Add the egg, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, dill, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Add the ground chicken and gently mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs dense.
- Scoop the mixture into balls approximately 2 tablespoons each and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F. For a more golden exterior, broil for 1 to 3 minutes at the end, watching closely to prevent burning.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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