This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Greek chicken meatball bowls feature lemon dill rice topped with tender, flavorful chicken meatballs, a tomato cucumber Greek salad, feta, and a creamy tzatziki dressing! These nutritious and filling rice bowls are a feast for people who love Greek food!
If you love Greek and Mediterranean food, check out these Greek lemon chicken skewers with tzatziki sauce and this Mediterranean salmon orzo salad.
Why you’ll love them
Fresh and flavorful – These rice bowls are bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors! The meatballs are packed with flavorful spices and feta, the Greek salad is bright and fresh, and the tzatziki dressing is cool and creamy. It’s the dream team of flavors!
Nutritious and balanced – These Greek bowls are a nice balance of veggies, protein, carbs, and fat. The more balanced a meal is the more satiating it is.
The ingredients
- Ground chicken – Ground turkey can also be used. Don’t use 99% lean or the meatballs will be dry.
- Panko – A crispier, flakier bread crumb compared to traditional bread crumbs.
- Flat leaf parsley and dill – Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to the bowls.
- Onion – White, yellow or red onion can be used.
- Garlic – Grate the garlic with a microplane zester to avoid biting into any chunks of it.
- Lemon and red wine vinegar – The fresh, acidic component used in the dressing, salad, and meatballs.
- Egg – The binder for the meatballs.
- Oregano, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder – Flavorful spices used in the meatballs and tzatziki dressing.
- Greek yogurt – Plain Greek yogurt is used for the dressing. Thick, creamy, and tangy.
- Feta – Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for the best flavor and texture.
- Cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives – Veggies used in the Greek salad.
- Rice – White or brown rice may be used.
How to make tzatziki dressing
Combine the Greek yogurt, feta, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dill, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a bowl.
Whisk together until combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. The dressing will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. It should be stirred before each use.
How to make Greek chicken meatball bowls
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Cook the rice according to package instructions with the addition of the fresh chopped dill and lemon zest. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes with the lid on before using it.
Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Use your hands to combine. Be careful not to over work the meat mixture or the meatballs will be tough.
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out the meat mixture. Roll into balls and place them on a foil or parchment paper lines baking sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking oil.
Bake the meatballs in a 450° F. preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.
Combine all of the ingredients for the cucumber tomato (Greek salad) in a bowl. Toss together and adjust the seasoning if needed.
To assemble the bowls, add some of the rice to a bowl. Top it with 4-5 meatballs, some of the Greek salad, crumbled feta, and spoon on the tzatziki dressing.
Make ahead tips
While there’s nothing complicated about making these Mediterranean bowls, they do take some time. Below are tips to help save time when making them.
- The meatballs can be made a couple days in advance. I also recommend doubling the recipe and freezing a half after they’ve been baked and cooled. This way you’ll have them ready the next time you make the bowls.
- Make the tzatziki dressing 1-2 days in advance.
- Use par-cooked or minute rice if you’re short on time. Just mix the lemon zest and dill into the cooked rice.
Variations and substitutions
- Substitute ground chicken with ground turkey or make my Greek meatballs with tzatziki sauce that use ground beef.
- For a different dressing option, top it with tahini yogurt dressing.
- Fresh dill can be replaced with dried dill, but use less of it. I recommend 1 teaspoon dried for every tablespoon of fresh.
- For a lower carb option, use cauliflower rice instead of white or brown rice.
Leftovers and storage
Storage – I find that it’s best to store all of the components separately or only combine the rice and meatballs and keep the Greek salad and tzatziki dressing separate. The bowls will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating – The rice and meatballs can be reheated in the microwave for 30 second intervals until warm. Then add the tomato cucumber salad, feta, and tzatziki to it.
Freezing – The rice bowls themselves can’t be frozen, however you can freeze the chicken meatballs.
Let the meatballs cool completely and then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for 2-3 months. Defrost the meatballs in the fridge overnight before using them.
More bowl recipes
Did you make these Greek chicken meatball bowls? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls
Ingredients
Lemon Dill Rice
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons grated onion
- 1 clove garlic grated or minced
- Zest of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Tzatziki Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt 2% or whole may also be used
- Zest and juice of a lemon
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove grated or minced garlic
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Greek Salad
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions adding the lemon zest and dill in before it comes to a boil.
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spray it with cooking oil.
- Add all of the meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl and use your hands to combine the ingredients being careful not to over mix. Coat your hands with a bit of oil and scoop out approximately a tablespoon size amount of the meat and roll it into a ball.
- Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and spray or brush the tops with olive oil. Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the meatballs bake, combine all of the ingredients for the Greek salad in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the tzatziki dressing. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
- To assemble the bowl, add a 1/2 cup of the rice to a bowl. Top with 4-5 meatballs and some of the Greek salad. Spoon the tzatziki dressing over the top and garnish with extra dill.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t wait to make this
Let me know what you think of them when you try them out!