Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 egg
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup minced white onion
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground chicken
For the Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For Garnish (optional):
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley and dill
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg lightly. Add the minced garlic, onion, panko breadcrumbs, dill, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix these ingredients together and let them sit for 2-3 minutes. This allows the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
- Add the ground chicken to the bowl. Using your hands or a fork, gently mix everything together until just combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs tough.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form the mixture into 20-24 meatballs, about 1½ inches in diameter. Place them on the prepared baking sheet with space between each one.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
- While the meatballs bake, prepare the yogurt sauce by mixing all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Once cooked, let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with crumbled feta and fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meat mixture – this leads to dense, tough meatballs
- Wet your hands with water when forming meatballs to prevent sticking
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform size, ensuring even cooking
- Fresh herbs make a noticeable difference in flavor compared to dried
- Let the breadcrumb mixture rest before adding chicken for better binding
- For extra flavor, toast the panko breadcrumbs in a dry pan first
- Ground chicken breast works, but a mix with some dark meat stays juicier
- Double the batch and freeze half for busy weeknight dinners
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 240 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg