Greek Chicken Meatballs
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900g) ground chicken*
- 1/4 cup (30g) fine breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- zest grated from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes from a jar
- 1 tablespoon oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt or to your taste!
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup (65g) crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons frying oil if cooking the meatballs in a pan
Instructions
- Make the panade: To a small bowl, add breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit for a minute until the milk is absorbed, then mash until smooth.
- Add the panade, ground chicken, and all the other ingredients (except feta cheese) for the meatballs to a large mixing bowl. Please add salt to your liking, it's a personal preference. I prefer well-salted foods, but your preferred salt levels may be different.
- Mix well for about 5 minutes using either your hands or using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. In the beginning, the mixture may seem too loose but after some time it should nicely hold its shape. When the meat mixture is ready, gently mix in feta cheese.
- Scoop the meat mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll the balls between your hands.
- Cook meatballs until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- In a pan: heat frying oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs about 1 - 1 1/2 inches (4cm) apart. Cook until browned on all sides and cooked through in the middle.
- In the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, they should be spaced apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). The baking time may vary depending on the oven and the size of the meatballs.
- In an air fryer: cook the meatballs in the air fryer for about 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C). Please note that this recipe was tested in a countertop oven with an air fryer setting (in an air fryer basket) and I feel that it cooks food more slowly than regular smaller air-fryer models. Please adjust the cooking time to your appliance.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground chicken: I highly recommend ground boneless chicken thighs for this recipe but you can use any type of ground meat for this recipe that you have on hand for example ground turkey, ground beef, a mix of ground beef and pork or a mix of ground beef and chicken. I think the delicate flavor of chicken pairs well with all the aromatic seasonings. It´s a good way to season lean ground chicken so that it tastes great.
- Difference between cooking methods: In terms of flavor, all types of meatballs taste similar. Pan-fried meatballs are of course more crispy and the outside has the most flavor because of the browning. Baked meatballs are slightly more juicy than pan-fried meatballs. Air-fried meatballs are slightly better than baked meatballs because they are slightly more browned on the outside.
- Calories: 1 serving (6 meatballs - 1/4 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Nutrition
Calories: 533kcal