These Greek chicken meatballs with tzatziki sauce are exactly what you need this week. They are crispy on the outside, with a perfectly moist, juicy center. This healthy chicken meatball recipe is easy to make, delicious and perfect for busy nights when you want a healthy meal in a short amount of time.

Personally, I can’t get enough of these Greek chicken meatballs and I love to serve them no matter what time of year it is. With the light and refreshing flavors the Tzatziki sauce brings, you can dress it up or down however you’d like.

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce – Healthyish Foods

About this Chicken Meatball Recipe

This recipe is great because it offers delicious Mediterranean flavors. The fresh mint, tzatziki sauce, lemon juice, and spices all come together to form the most harmonious dish. Personally, I enjoyed my Greek chicken meatballs with a side of buttered orzo and spinach. It was light, yet completely satisfying. 

You could also enjoy these meatballs with fresh sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and honey. Or another tasty idea would be to enjoy them with some olives, pasta and whipped feta. These meatballs are such a great recipe, you’ll have to give them a try.

This Greek chicken meatball recipe makes 12-14 meatballs depending on size. Fry the meatballs in hot vegetable or canola oil to get a beautiful brown sear on the outside. Place the golden brown meatballs on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Once all of the meatballs are seared, place them in the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and finish baking the meatballs in the oven. You’ll want the internal temperature to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure doneness.

The nutritional information below reflects the Greek chicken meatballs, tzatziki sauce, and the orzo pasta with spinach. It is broken out over 5 servings with each person getting 3 meatballs, a portion of rice and tzatziki sauce. The vegetable oil and extra garnishes are not included in this number.

Do I Have to Pan Fry These Greek Meatballs?

Pan frying these meatballs helps lock in the juiciness of the chicken and gives the meatballs a perfect crunch. What some readers have done is instead bake the meatballs in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. These meatballs came out just as good for them, though I suspect a little less crispy. Still, oven baking is a great way to reduce the overall oil content of the recipe even further.

Alternate Ways to Serve These Chicken Meatballs

You’ll be surprised to learn that you can serve these meatballs several ways. While over the top of a good orzo spinach base is certainly my preferred way to eat it, others have also served the meatballs with a simple side of veggies for a complete meal.

Others have sliced the meatballs and turned this recipe into a meatball sub, which I think is creative and intuitive. Alternatively, you can also serve these meatballs with a drizzle of tzatziki sauce without the orzo for a light lunchtime snack.

What’s Tzatziki Sauce Made of, and How Does it Pair with Chicken?

Tzatziki sauce is a delicious Mediterranean dip that goes well as a dipping sauce, topping for meatballs, salad dressing – you name it. The creamy, yogurt base is mixed with the complex and refreshing flavors of garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and cucumber. With a simple and light aroma, it turns out that tzatziki sauce is one of the lightest and healthiest dressings or dips you can make that goes with a wide range of food.

Personally, I can’t get enough of tzatziki sauce, so when I had the opportunity to make these Greek meatballs, I already knew I was going to incorporate it with an orzo and spinach base. These flavors are the epitome of Greek cuisine to me; all you need are a few grape leaves and a honey baklava for a full 3-course meal.  

Ground Chicken – Greek Meatball Storage

These meatballs are easy to store in the refrigerator and keep for a long time. Simply store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days, taking care to only remove and thaw what you plan to eat. If you allow these meatballs to cool down completely, you can also freeze them for up to a month in the freezer, but keep in mind that you can only freeze dry meatballs that haven’t had any sauce added. The sauce keeps best in the refrigerator.

Reheating These Chicken Meatballs

Reheating these Greek chicken meatballs is relatively simple. From the fridge, all you need to do is pop them in the microwave with a damp paper towel over to lock in the moisture. Reheat 3-4 meatballs at a time until they are heated through completely.

From the freezer, you should first allow the meatballs to thaw either by placing them on the defrost setting in the microwave or allowing them to come to room temperature ahead of cooking time.

If you’re not a big fan of using the microwave to reheat food, you can also bake these meatballs in the oven to reheat them. Preheat the oven to 350 and place the meatballs on a baking tray, with 1-2 inches between each one. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, flipping the meatballs to ensure even heating halfway through. 

Enjoyed This Recipe?

Looking for more chicken meatballs recipes? Try my chicken parmesan meatball sliders or my BBQ chicken meatballs. Both are tasty and delicious!

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce – Healthyish Foods
Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce – Healthyish Foods
Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce – Healthyish Foods
Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce – Healthyish Foods

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

Yield: 5 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
These Greek chicken meatballs with tzatziki sauce are exactly what you need this week. They are crispy on the outside, with a perfectly moist, juicy center. This healthy chicken meatball recipe is easy to make, delicious and perfect for busy nights when you want a healthy meal in a short amount of time.
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5 from 13 votes
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil , for pan searing the meatballs

Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons 2% milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley

Tzatziki Dip

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt, 0% or 2% Fage
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons dill, fresh, chopped small
  • ¾ cup cucumber remove seeds using a spoon and dice small, you can also grate the cucumber instead, just be sure to squeeze out any excess moisture.
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Orzo Pasta with Spinach

  • 8 ounces orzo pasta, al dente
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1 cup baby spinach, packed in cup
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Optional Garnishes:

  • fresh mint, chopped
  • lemon slices
  • feta cheese, crumbles
  • honey drizzle
  • red pepper flakes, for some spice
  • kalamata olives

Equipment

  • pasta pot
  • 11-inch skillet
  • 8×8 baking dish
  • colander
  • 2 mixing bowls

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Set out an 8×8 baking dish. Glass prefered.

Prepare the Tzatziki:

  • In a small mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, deseeded and diced cucumbers, fresh squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, fresh chopped dill and salt. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

Prepare the Orzo Pasta and Spinach:

  • Boil a pot of water and cook your orzo according to the package. I like mine al dente because it will continue cooking in the pan with the butter, spinach and seasonings.
  • Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain off the pasta water using a colander and drizzle the pasta with olive oil.
  • Place the pasta back in the pan and add the butter, salt, pepper, lemon juice and fresh spinach. Stir until everything is coated in the sauce and the spinach has wilted. Reduce the heat to low while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Prepare the Meatballs:

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well using your hands.
  • Form the chicken mixture into meatballs. I was able to get 14 medium sized meatballs.
  • In an 11-inch skillet, add about a ½ cup of canola or vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium / high heat or until it’s hot enough to give the meatballs a golden-brown sear.
  • Add about 5 meatballs at a time, you do not want to overcrowd the pan. Be sure to turn them frequently to prevent them from burning.
  • Once the meatballs have a golden-brown sear on all sides, place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
  • Next, you'll add them to the 8×8 baking dish, cover them with foil and finish cooking them in the oven.
  • Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until they are fully cooked through. Larger meatballs may take longer in the oven.

Assemble the Dish:

  • Add the orzo pasta with spinach and a dollop of tzatziki to a plate. Top the orzo pasta and tzatziki with a few of the chicken meatballs and your favorite garnishes.
  • Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 502kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 139mg, Sodium: 913mg, Potassium: 740mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 999IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 210mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 502