Greek Chicken Meatballs (Mediterranean Meatballs)
These Greek Chicken Meatballs with creamy yogurt dipping sauce are a recipe that can do double duty as a light and healthy dinner, or a party bite that can be kept warm in a slow cooker!
Does anyone else feel like New Year’s Eve is always such a letdown?
In my 20’s, when I would go to some organized “party,” I’d have to pay for entry, pay more for drinks, and then awkwardly stand around with a few friends (but mostly a bunch of strangers) just kind of waiting for midnight.
Kiss, go home. Hooray?
Now that I’m firmly in the “late 30’s with a toddler” stage, I’m more than happy to just embrace that couch celebration.
I’m definitely better off staying home in comfy clothes, sipping rosemary gin cocktails and making an epic spread of New Year’s Eve snacks (just scaled down for 2).
This year, I’ll be making either Greek layer dip or a batch of these Greek chicken meatballs for New Year’s Eve. But this baked chicken meatball recipe is also something that I make year round, either as a party snack or also just as an easy weeknight dinner.
These Greek chicken meatballs are perfect for a party!
To me, it’s not a party (no matter how many guests there might be) without some meatballs. When I want pork meatballs, General Tso’s meatballs are my go to.
When I want to use ground beef, it’s gochujang meatballs. When I want a vegetarian option, it’s black bean meatballs.
And when I want to use ground chicken, these Greek chicken meatballs are what I turn to.
With their simple list of ingredients (most things you may already have in your fridge or pantry), and easy cooking method, these ground chicken meatballs are truly so simple to whip up and pop into the oven as party guests are on their way to your house.
And once baked, these Mediterranean meatballs are easily kept warm in a slow-cooker with a bit of chicken broth in the bottom.
These baked chicken meatballs can also be air fried.
Just like my air fryer turkey meatballs, these Greek chicken meatballs can be air fried, too!
If necessary, preheat or set your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
In batches, transfer the ground chicken meatballs to the air fryer basket and cook 10 to 15 minutes (exact timing will depend on your model of air fryer).
You’re looking to cook them until they are lightly browned and the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees F.
Turn them once about halfway through cooking so that they brown evenly.
Don’t forget the delicious Greek yogurt sauce for meatballs!
The tangy, herby Greek yogurt dipping sauce I serve these Greek chicken meatballs with is so simple, but my favorite part of this recipe. I love a yogurt sauce for my Chilean sea bass recipe, too.
Simply stir together creamy Greek yogurt, parsley, dill and ground black pepper. I used fresh herbs here because I had them on hand, but dried herbs work great too.
If using dried herbs, use half the amount of fresh herbs called for in this Greek yogurt sauce for meatballs, since dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh herbs.
So, you’d need 1 tablespoon dried parsley and 1-1/2 teaspoons dried dill for the yogurt sauce recipe below. You can also use fresh or dried dill for the herb mayo for my salmon sandwich recipe.
What to serve with ground chicken meatballs for a complete meal:
I don’t only serve these baked chicken meatballs as a party appetizer. In fact, more often than not, I serve them for dinner, with a side of Greek yogurt mashed potatoes or potato cakes.
I’ll also sometimes serve these baked chicken meatballs on top of butternut squash noodles or with some maple brussels sprouts.
They’re also great as a meal prep recipe for weekday lunches, served with a simple side of fruit salad.
These Mediterranean meatballs are award winning!
This ground chicken meatballs recipe was chosen as a Community Pick in a contest at Food52 and photographed by James Ransom (photo below). This Greek chicken meatball recipe was deemed “as refreshing as it is easy to pull together.“
I toasted with a grapefruit vodka cocktail to celebrate the contest win.
More tasty Greek-inspired recipes:
I love Mediterranean flavors so much, and you’ll find a lot of these types of recipes on this site. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Greek Lasagna
- Greek Chicken Marinade
- Mediterranean Fried Rice
- Gyro Pizza
- Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Cookies)
Greek Chicken Meatballs (Mediterranean Meatballs)
These Greek Chicken Meatballs with creamy yogurt dipping sauce are a recipe that can do double duty as a light and healthy dinner, or a party bite that can be kept warm in a slow cooker!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup minced white onion
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound ground chicken
For the Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For Garnish:
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped English cucumber
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray rimmed baking pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir together garlic, egg, onion, breadcrumbs, oregano, mint and salt.
- Add chicken and stir (or mix with hands) until just combined. Do not overmix. Using hands, gently form into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on prepared baking pan.
- Transfer to oven and bake meatballs 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, prepare Yogurt Sauce: In small bowl, stir together yogurt, parsley, dill and pepper.
- Serve meatballs garnished with feta and cucumber, with Yogurt Sauce for dipping.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 365mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 36g
Recipe as written makes 16 meatballs. Nutrition information above is for an entree portion of 4 meatballs with 1/4 of dipping sauce.
These sound great and like something I need to make. I tend to be afraid of ground chicken because I’ve had really bad luck with it spoiling. Clearly I need to plan to make these the day after grocery shopping, to prevent that. I will plan well to make sure these turn out well 🙂
Hi Susan! You know what? I have had THE SAME PROBLEM with ground chicken! I don’t know what it is, but yes! The shelf life on it seems to be incredibly short. I’ve had better luck with Jennie-O ground turkey that can be found at most stores. But when I want to use chicken, yes, I just have to buy it the day before or the day I plan to make these. Kind of frustrating, but worth it once in awhile.
Absolutely LOVE this idea! I think I’ll try this!
Awesome, enjoy Sophia!
made them into a wrap for lunch!! so tasty!! thank you! 🙂
Oh, YUM, Sarah! That looks so great. So glad they turned out well for you!
Thanks Karen! Enjoy!
Holy smokes what an awesome idea. I’m making these. Like, today.
These would also be great in a wrap, love them!!!
Great idea, Tara. Thank you!
Yum, love the meatballs, Greek food is delicious. Totally with you on the NYE thing, used to go out every New Year Eve, always afterwards I would proclaim I wouldn’t do it again, well now I don’t. An evening with the pugs warm on my couch is my favorite way to celebrate.
Sounds like a great evening to me! Do your pugs lay on top of you like my dog does? She’s about 45 pounds now, but thinks she’s a lap dog 🙂
I am with you about New Year’s Eve. I have rarely gone to parties and am perfectly happy to be home with my husband. Guess we’re not party people. This recipe sounds great, even for those of us who don’t go to parties.
Thanks, Susan! Enjoy your cozy NYE at home with your husband! I’ll be going out to dinner with a few friends, but nothing crazy. Will probably end up at somebody’s home to ring in the new year.
YUM!
I love healthy finger food! These look so tasty and delicious 🙂
Thanks so much, Julie, and thank you for stopping by 🙂
Last year, I tried to throw together a last minute NYE party. No one showed up, but it was the most fun I’ve had ringing in the new year! It was just me and my boyfriend, slow cooker chili, beer, and a fire pit. So relaxed and so fun.
I agree that snack foods are a must! I planned on stocking up on chips, but maybe I’ll try to make something fun this year. You’ve inspired me. 🙂
Sounds like a great NYE to me, Holly! I forgot to mention the beer part of the event, but that’s critical 🙂
These look divine! I am a sucker for a good meatball! And, yes, New Year’s Eve is usually a disappointment when going out. Wait – we have five kids (ages 6 – 23) so do I even remember ever going out on NYE? HA! Actually, we HAVE gotten a sitter once or twice through the years to go out that night, but we end up missing the kids and wishing we were home celebrating the moment with them. So, it’s always lots of good snacks and apps for us, confetti poppers and some good movies. 🙂
Sounds like you have the right idea, Angela! Staying home is so much better than going to some stupid party at a bar or something! Call me an old lady, but I don’t mind 🙂
They like to lay right up against me pinning me in so I can’t move for fear of disturbing them. I end up falling asleep before the stroke of midnight, the pugs don’t care if they get a New Years kiss. LOL!
Haha, so cute. Snuggly dogs are the best 🙂
This is 100% the type of party food I love to serve. Healthy and Yummy. Love the Greek twist, and I agree totally about NYE failing most of the time. We’re having a party of our own this year to make sure we have fun.
Great idea, Katie! I think making your own party at home is the only way to guarantee a non-lame time. haha.
Genius! Great lunch or appetizer and amazing to bring with you to all those functions this holiday season.
Thanks so much, Jane! I might be sending these with my husband for one of his works potlucks this month 🙂