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These baked Greek chicken meatballs are tender, juicy, and packed with Mediterranean flavor. They’re easy to make, perfect for meal prep, and a great weeknight dinner. The meatballs are seasoned with garlic, fresh lemon juice, parsley, a vibrant blend of Mediterranean spices, and crumbled feta cheese. Serve them with orzo, rice, fresh vegetables, or a scoop of creamy tzatziki sauce!
If you’ve never made meatballs using ground chicken, start with these Greek chicken meatballs! I find that chicken meatballs are actually a little more tender and flavorful than turkey meatballs as long as there’s some fat in the meat.
These Greek chicken meatballs are a recipe I make often because I absolutely love their vibrant, fresh flavor. A fragrant blend of Mediterranean dried spices—including cinnamon, one of the secret ingredients that makes them so special—along with fresh herbs, lemon juice, and salty feta cheese transforms an ordinary chicken meatball into something truly memorable.
I also love that they’re baked meatballs, which means no standing over the stove frying them. They’re versatile, great for meal prep, and freezer friendly. I’ve served them as an appetizer, added them to salads, pasta, and used them to make these Greek chicken meatball bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Ground chicken – Lean ground chicken with some fat in it is best. 93/7 lean is what I recommend. You can also use ground turkey. If you prefer ground beef I recommend making these Greek meatballs.
Panko – I love using panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs for meatballs because it gives them a lighter texture. Gluten-free panko can be used if you need the chicken meatballs to be gluten-free.
Onion – Yellow onion or white onion can be used. Grate the onion on a box grater so that it mixes well into the meatball mixture and you aren’t biting into any raw chunks.
Garlic – Use fresh garlic and just like the onion, I think it’s best to grate it. For garlic I like to use a microplane zester. This is also a great tool for getting the zest off of citrus.
Oregano, coriander, cumin, cinnamon – This spice blend is earthy, a little citrusy from the coriander, and has a wonderful warm flavor from the cinnamon. If you’re worried about the cinnamon making the meatballs taste sweet, I promise it won’t. It’s subtle and what makes these meatballs unique.
Lemon – Fresh lemon juice and zest give the meatballs a bright fresh flavor.
Egg – The egg is what binds the meatballs together so they don’t fall apart during baking.
Feta – Feta cheese is what makes these meatballs extra special. The crumbled feta adds a salty cheesy bite to each meatball.
Tips for Making Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Use ground chicken that has some fat in it. Having some fat in the meat makes the meatballs for flavorful and less dry.
- My recommendation is to use panko for a lighter more tender meatball, but you can use regular breadcrumbs. I would avoid seasoned breadcrumbs since you’ll be adding dried spices. It may alter the flavor of the meatballs.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest. A lot of the lemon flavor comes from the zest.
- Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself. The flavor is better, it’s creamier, and it’s more cost effective.
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture. Overmixing will result in tough chewy meatballs.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the meatball mixure so the meatballs are all the same size and cook evenly.
- Don’t over bake the meatballs or they’ll be dry. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking them at 10 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165° F.
- Make a double batch of the chicken meatballs and freeze half to have on hand for a quick dinner.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use a different type of ground meat to make Greek chicken meatballs. Ground turkey or ground lamb would be delicious.
- Cook the Greek chicken meatballs on the stovetop in a skillet instead of baking them. Use the same cooking method and time that I used to make this Greek meatballs and orzo skillet.
- Add dill. Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh dill or a teaspoon of dried dill into the meatballs.
- Dairy-free. To make the meatballs dairy-free, omit the feta. You can try using dairy-free feta, however I have not made them this way.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice. My favorite side dish to have with Greek chicken meatballs is lemon dill rice. You can also make regular steamed white or brown rice.
- Pasta. Orzo with a little lemon juice and crumbled feta on top is a great quick and easy side. This Greek orzo salad would also be delicious.
- Tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki is an absolute must for dipping the meatballs into. If you’ve never made it, it’s super simple, nutritious, and only uses a handful of ingredients.
- Hummus, I love my roasted red pepper hummus, baba ganoush, or whipped feta dip are also great dipping sauces to serve with the Greek meatballs.
- Salad. A fresh salad is another great side dish to serve with Greek chicken meatballs. You can even add the meatballs onto the salad. I love having them with a Mediterranean chopped salad, Mediterranean lentil salad, Greek chickpea salad with tzatziki dressing, or I like to replace the salmon in my Greek salmon salad with the meatballs.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Storage – Leftover Greek chicken meatballs will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freezing – Freeze the meatballs for 2-3 months in a freezer bag or other airtight container. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight before using them.
Reheating – Leftover meatballs can be reheated in the microwave or in the oven at 325° F. for 10-20 minutes or until warmed through. Use a baking sheet or baking dish and cover them with a piece of foil to prevent them from drying out.
More Meatball Recipes
Greek Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons grated yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic grated or minced
- Zest of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pound ground chicken or ground turkey, I use 93/7%
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spray with cooking oil.
- Add all of the ingredients except the ground chicken and feta to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined. Add the ground chicken and feta into the mixture and use your hands to combine the ingredients being careful not to over mix.
- Coat your hands with a little oil and scoop out approximately a tablespoon size amount of the meat and roll it into a ball.
- Place the meatballs onto 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.
- Serve the meatballs with a side of your choice and tzatziki sauce for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make these Greek Chicken Meatballs, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
