Greek Chicken Meatballs

Name: Greek Chicken Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 pound Ground chicken (white meat preferred); 5 ounces Fresh spinach; 5 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil; 5 Garlic cloves; ¾ teaspoon Red chili flakes; ½ fluid ounce Fresh lemon juice; ½ teaspoon Dried oregano; 7 ounces Crumbled feta cheese; 1 pound Whole wheat orzo pasta; 2 strips Lemon zest

Recipe GLPR1ccaa74c2957e7

Greek

Main Course

45 min

419 cal

Servings: 4

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Tender ground chicken meatballs infused with fresh spinach, garlic, feta, and Mediterranean herbs, paired with a simple pasta tossed in garlic-infused olive oil, lemon zest, and crumbled feta cheese for a light, flavorful main course.

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Ingredients

1 pound Ground chicken (white meat preferred)

5 ounces Fresh spinach

5 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

5 Garlic cloves

¾ teaspoon Red chili flakes

½ fluid ounce Fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dried oregano

7 ounces Crumbled feta cheese

1 pound Whole wheat orzo pasta

2 strips Lemon zest

Directions

Blanch fresh spinach in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool completely. Squeeze out excess moisture and finely chop.
Mince 2 garlic cloves and combine in a bowl with the ground chicken, chopped spinach, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, lemon juice, dried oregano, and 3 ounces feta cheese. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
Form the mixture into 16 meatballs, about 1.5 inches in diameter. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, carefully add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate.
While the meatballs cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
In a small skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, stirring gently for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
Pour the garlic-infused oil over the drained orzo and toss to coat evenly. Add lemon zest strips and 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, stirring gently to combine.
Divide pasta among four plates and top each portion with four meatballs. Serve immediately.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

All ingredients are stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or Walmart in Charlotte with no special trips required, though imported feta runs $6-8 per pound. At roughly $3-4 per serving when using mid-range feta and bulk chicken, this lands squarely affordable for weeknight dinners. The 45-minute stated time holds if you're organized, but add ten minutes for spinach squeezing and rolling two dozen meatballs—closer to 55 minutes realistically. This is a solid family dish that reheats well, though meatballs can dry out slightly on day two; the orzo helps mitigate that, and a squeeze of lemon juice restores brightness on the plate.