Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup grated yellow onions
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano (a little more if using fresh)
- 1 ¼ pound lean ground chicken
For the Lemon Olive Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons salted cold butter, cubed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock
- ½ cup green olives (or use ¼ cup capers)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced garlic, lemon zest, chopped parsley, panko breadcrumbs, grated onions, crumbled feta cheese, egg, and dried oregano. Mix these ingredients together gently with a fork.
- Add the ground chicken to the bowl and use your hands to combine everything just until mixed. Don’t overwork the mixture as this can make tough meatballs.
- With clean, slightly damp hands, roll the mixture into 20-24 meatballs, each about 1.5 inches across. Place them on a large plate or baking sheet as you work.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning them carefully to cook all sides. This takes about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the cold butter cubes. Let them melt slowly while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute until it smells amazing but doesn’t brown.
- Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes to create a light roux that will thicken your sauce.
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. The mixture should be smooth.
- Add the green olives, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Take about 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce and slowly whisk it into the yolks to warm them up gradually.
- Pour this tempered egg mixture back into the skillet while whisking constantly. Add the nutmeg and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer everything together for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and the meatballs to heat through completely.
Notes
- Use your hands to mix the meatball ingredients – it gives you better control and prevents overmixing
- Grate the onion on the small holes of a box grater for the best texture
- Keep your hands slightly damp when rolling meatballs to prevent sticking
- Don’t crowd the pan when browning meatballs – work in batches for better browning
- Fresh lemon juice makes a huge difference compared to bottled juice
- Make sure your butter is cold when starting the sauce – it creates better texture
- Use a whisk when adding the stock to prevent lumps in your sauce
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end – you might need more lemon juice or salt
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg