Warm, hearty and deliciously creamy! These tender, seared chicken meatballs are rolling around in a creamy lemon sauce that has a nice little zing! They’re warm and comforting but still offer a bright and beautiful lemony flavor that doesn’t leave you feeling heavy. Don’t be surprised if you catch the fam eating right out of the skillet while the sauce is still warm and tangy. It’s the perfect transitional meal to take us from summer right into fall or from winter into spring. I’m not quite ready to let go of all the summer flavors, but with the gloomy weather we’ve been having lately, I’m ready for warm bowls of food again. Greek chicken meatballs totally fit the bill.
What do you need to make the Greek chicken meatballs?
Garlic + herbs: minced garlic, chopped parsley, and dried oregano help add flavor the meatballs. You can use fresh or dried herbs for this recipe. Keep in mind you need roughly double the amount if you’re using fresh herbs.Lemon zest: brightens up the meatballs and adds just a fresh flavor to thembreadcrumbs: are used for binding. I prefer to use Panko breadcrumbs because they melt right into the meatballs and you don’t even realize they’re there.Feta cheese: adds tang and aids in binding the meatballs as well. Before this recipe, I had never added feta cheese to homemade meatballs, and I love the flavor they add.An egg: Acts as a binder to hold everything together.Ground chicken: I prefer to use ground chicken breasts, but I would think if you like chicken thighs, you might want to use ground thighs here. They would certainly add more flavor and retain extra moisture as well!
How to portion chicken meatballs:
Once you’ve made the meatball mixture, divide it into 24-28 portions. I like to use a cookie scoop so that the meatballs are all the same size. Doing this also cuts down on the guesswork for cooking the meatballs because they cook up in roughly the same amount of time when they’re the same size.
What if the meatball mixture sticks to my hands?
If the meatball mixture sticks to your hands when you’re rolling them, just spray the inside of your hands with a little cooking spray before grabbing the meat mixture. This should keep the mixture from sticking to your hands!
How to make Greek chicken meatballs:
Ingredients for the lemon sauce for Greek chicken meatballs?
Butter: Butter plays a two-part role in the sauce. We’ll use a little bit to sauté the garlic and flour in and the last tablespoon is added at the end to add creaminess and a little bit of luster to the sauce.Garlic: sautéed in butter it adds so much delicious flavor to the sauceflour: just a tablespoon is used in this recipe to help thicken the sauceChicken stock: is the base of the creamy lemon sauceGreen olives: briny green olives are the perfect pairing to the bright zingy lemon sauce. Capers would also work if you aren’t a fan of green olivesEgg yolks: the egg yolks I know are an unusual addition to a cream sauce. They help emulsify the sauce and make it extra creamy and delicious! Trust me, I was super scared to try it too, but I have a foolproof method for you below!Lemon juice + zest: help flavor the sauceNutmeg: Add a depth of flavor that works beautifully with all the lemony flavor in this recipe. Freshly grated works best!
The secret to perfectly smooth lemon sauce:
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Greek Avgolemono SoupRustic Chicken Piccata MeatballsFrench Onion Chicken MeatballsCajun Chicken Meatballs in Cream SauceSwedish MeatballsFirecracker Chicken Meatballs
