Greek Chicken Meatballs
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These high protein Greek Chicken Meatballs are packed with fresh, flavorful Mediterranean ingredients like feta, herbs, and lemon. We’ll show you how to bake or air fry them–and how to prep a batch for the freezer too. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce for a next-level dish!
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Like our Chicken Meatballs with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, there’s a lot to love about this light and flavorful recipe…
- Easy & quick: Simple ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Versatile: Choose your cooking method: bake or air fry!
- Healthy and high-protein: Lean chicken + fresh herbs = a feel-good meal.
- Big Mediterranean flavor: Thanks to feta, lemon, garlic, and herbs.
- Freezer-friendly: Perfect for prepping ahead and pulling out on busy nights.
Ingredients
Grab these wholesome, fresh ingredients to whip up this recipe tonight.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh herbs – The fresh herbs like mint (or parsley), chives, and dill add beautiful color and fresh, bright notes. I strongly advise you to use fresh over dried. Be sure to chop them very finely!
- Bread crumbs – We tested these with whole wheat bread crumbs and they turned out drier and denser. So, I landed on using Panko bread crumbs because the meatballs turned out moister, lighter, and looked more appetizing.
- Lean ground chicken – You can certainly use a higher fat version of ground chicken if you’d like, but these turned out great with the leanest version at the store.
- Crumbled feta cheese – Be sure to break up the feta crumbles even more with a fork so you don’t bite into a large chunk of feta and so the flavor gets sprinkled throughout the meatball.
- Tzatziki Sauce (optional) – This traditional Greek yogurt-based sauce takes minutes to make and really does make this dish! I highly suggest serving it along with the meatballs.
How to Make Greek Chicken Meatballs
Let’s take a quick look at how this recipe comes together. You’ll find the full, printable version at the bottom of the post.
Mix Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, garlic, herbs, lemon, and seasonings. Add the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, and feta. Gently mix to combine.
Form Meatballs
Scoop and roll the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. Place them on a lined baking sheet.
Cook & Serve
Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes OR air fry at 375°F for 10–13 minutes, until cooked through. (Optional: Broil briefly for a golden top.) Serve warm with our suggestions below!
What to Serve with Greek Chicken Meatballs
Want to turn these meatballs into a full-on Greek-inspired feast? Here are some of our favorites sides to round out the meal.
- Tzatziki Sauce – This simple dipping sauce is a must. It gets better as it sits in the fridge, so consider making it a day ahead.
- Cucumber Feta Tomato Salad – A fresh, crunchy salad that comes together in minutes and adds vibrant colors to the meal.
- Lemon Feta Orzo – This bright, kid-friendly pasta side is always a hit.
- Whole Wheat Pita Bread – If you own a bread machine, try our delicious homemade pita. Stuff it with meatballs, the salad and Tzatziki for a build-your-own pita night.
How to Freeze Greek Chicken Meatballs
Since you’re already going to the trouble of making one batch, do yourself a favor and just double and freeze one for later. Here’s how:
- Freeze For Later: Prepare the meatball mixture. Roll out the meatballs and place on a sheet pan. Place the pan in the freezer for about 2 hours, until solidly frozen. Then, add the meatballs to a labeled gallon-sized freezer bag. Seal, squeezing out excess air, and freeze.
- Prepare From Frozen:
- Oven (Thawed): Thaw the meatballs flat in the refrigerator. Bake according to recipe instructions.
- Air Fryer (Frozen): Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Add frozen meatballs, leaving room between them (you may have to do two batches), and air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway through, until done.
FAQs
Yes, that works just fine as a substitute. I also see a lot of recipes use ground lamb for Greek meatballs, so you could try that as well.
Simply use gluten-free bread crumbs in place of the Panko. It’s easy to make your own!
Sigh…yes, if you must. Fresh is going to be best. But if you must use dried, use a third of what I call for as fresh (i.e. If I say 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, then use 1 teaspoon dried herbs). I did not test the recipe this way, so you’re on your own with this one, k? 🙂
The USDA says it’s safe to keep these stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3 to 4 days.
Oh yeah! It’s best to freeze Greek Chicken Meatballs after rolling them out and before baking. See the recipe card below for all the details. This is what we specialize in!
These Greek Chicken Meatballs are proof that a healthy, flavorful dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you bake or air fry, serve them fresh or pull them from the freezer, they’re a win for busy weeknights.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Greek Chicken Meatballs
These flavorful, high protein Greek Chicken Meatballs are packed with fresh Mediterranean ingredients like feta, herbs, and lemon. Great for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated (about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint or parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill (sub: 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound lean ground chicken
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs (sub: gluten-free bread crumbs)
- 1/2 cup finely crumbled feta cheese (break up with a fork)
- 1 batch Tzatziki Sauce, optional for dipping
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Instructions
- Prep: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (for easy clean up). If baking, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Make Chicken Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add the egg, garlic, chives, mint, dill, lemon zest and juice, oregano, salt, and pepper and whisk until well combined. Add the chicken, bread crumbs, and feta cheese. Use a fork or your clean hands to combine everything until all the ingredients are well incorporated (but don’t overwork the mixture).
- Form Meatballs: Scoop one heaping tablespoon of the mixture at a time and shape into about 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs. Place meatballs in rows on the prepared baking sheet, making sure to leave a little room between each one.
- Cook: Choose your cooking method below. The meatballs are done when there is no more pink in the middle when cut open or the internal temperature is 160-165°F. The internal temp will rise about 5 degrees more after you remove them.
- Oven: Bake for about 15 minutes. (Tip: If you want the meatballs to have a crispier exterior, remove the meatballs after 11 minutes of baking. Turn on the broiler and place the pan on the top oven rack. Broil for 2-4 minutes, until golden on top and cooked through.)
- Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Add meatballs, leaving room between them (you may have to do two batches), and air fry for 10-13 minutes, shaking halfway through, until done.
- Serve: Serve warm with our optional Tzatziki Sauce for dipping. You can also serve these in Pita bread with our Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad.
Notes/Tips
- Freezer Meal Prep Instructions:
- Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 2 & 3. Place pan in freezer until meatballs are frozen. Add the meatballs to labeled gallon-sized freezer bag. Seal, squeezing out excess air, and freeze.
- Prepare From Frozen:
- Oven (Thawed): Thaw and cook meatballs according to recipe.
- Air Fryer (Frozen): Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Add frozen meatballs, leaving room between them (you may have to do two batches), and air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway through, until done.
- If you’re air frying these, you’ll likely need to do two batches.
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