Greek Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs

I’ll be honest—for the longest time, I thought meatballs had to be Italian. You know, the kind swimming in marinara sauce with a mountain of spaghetti. That’s just what meatballs were in my house growing up.

Then one day at a Greek restaurant, I had these chicken meatballs with tzatziki and it completely changed my mind. They were lighter than beef meatballs, packed with feta and herbs, and that cool, tangy sauce on top? Perfect. I knew I had to figure out how to make them at home.

The best part about these Mediterranean chicken meatballs is that they’re actually easier than traditional meatballs. Ground chicken cooks faster, and you don’t need to stand over a pot of bubbling sauce for hours. Just mix everything together, bake them, and serve with tzatziki. Done.

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What Kind of Ground Chicken Should I Use?

For these meatballs, you can use either ground chicken breast or ground dark meat, depending on your preference. Ground dark meat will give you juicier, more flavorful meatballs since it has a higher fat content, while ground breast meat is leaner but can dry out more easily if overcooked. If you’re looking for a middle ground, many stores sell a blend of both light and dark meat, which gives you the best of both worlds. Just make sure your ground chicken is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in the fridge for more than a day or two before cooking.

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Options for Substitutions

These meatballs are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Ground chicken: You can easily use ground turkey instead of chicken – they work the same way and have a similar texture. Ground pork also works well if you want a richer flavor.
• Panko: Regular breadcrumbs work just fine here. You can also use crushed crackers or even oats if that’s what you have on hand.
• Feta cheese: While feta gives these meatballs their Mediterranean character, you can substitute with crumbled goat cheese or shredded mozzarella if needed. The flavor will be milder but still tasty.
• Sun dried tomatoes: If you don’t have sun dried tomatoes, try finely chopped fresh tomatoes (squeeze out the excess moisture first) or roasted red peppers for a similar pop of flavor.
• Fresh mint: Fresh parsley makes a great substitute if mint isn’t your thing or you don’t have any available. You could also use fresh basil for an Italian twist.
• Dried herbs: Feel free to use fresh herbs instead – just triple the amount (so about 3/4 teaspoon of fresh dill and oregano).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chicken meatballs is overworking the mixture, which creates dense, tough meatballs instead of light and tender ones – mix just until the ingredients come together and handle the meat gently when shaping.

Ground chicken has less fat than beef or pork, so it’s easy to dry out your meatballs if you overbake them – use an instant-read thermometer and pull them from the oven when they reach 160°F, as they’ll continue cooking while they rest.

To keep your meatballs from sticking to the baking sheet and losing their shape, lightly oil the pan or use parchment paper, and avoid crowding them too close together so they brown evenly on all sides.

If your mixture feels too wet to shape properly, chill it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before rolling, which makes the meatballs much easier to handle and helps them hold their shape during baking.

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What to Serve With Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs?

These meatballs are perfect stuffed into warm pita bread with extra tzatziki, lettuce, and tomatoes for an easy weeknight dinner. I love serving them over a bed of fluffy couscous or rice pilaf to soak up all that delicious tzatziki sauce. A simple Greek salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and feta on the side makes the meal feel complete, or you could go with roasted vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers. If you want to make it more of a mezze-style spread, add some hummus, warm flatbread, and a few dolmas on the side for everyone to share.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the tzatziki sauce separately so the meatballs don’t get soggy. They’re great to grab for a quick lunch throughout the week!

Freeze: These meatballs are perfect for freezing! Let them cool completely, then arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. This way they won’t stick together and you can grab just what you need.

Reheat: Warm the meatballs in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes if refrigerated, or 20-25 minutes if frozen. You can also microwave them, but the oven keeps them from drying out. Just make a fresh batch of tzatziki or warm up your leftover sauce separately.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1200
• Protein: 75-85 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 3/4 cup panko (I always use Kikkoman for a lighter, crispier texture)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup feta (crumbled into 1/4-inch chunks so it stays intact when cooking)
• 1/4 cup red onions (finely minced to about 1/8-inch pieces to distribute flavor evenly)
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for a mild, balanced flavor)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

For serving:

• 1 tbsp mint
• 1 cup tzatziki sauce

Step 1: Prepare the Meatball Mixture

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 3/4 cup panko
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup feta
• 1/4 cup red onions
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp mint

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, eggs, crumbled feta, minced red onions, sun dried tomatoes, dried dill, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, lemon zest, and mint.

Mix gently with your hands until just combined—avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs tough and dense.

The mixture should hold together when squeezed but still feel light and airy.

I find that using my fingertips rather than my whole hand keeps the mixture tender and prevents the feta from breaking down too much.

Step 2: Shape and Pan-Sear the Meatballs

• meatball mixture from Step 1
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

While it heats, shape the mixture into 15 equal-sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches each) using your hands or a small ice cream scoop for consistency.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, gently place the meatballs in the hot oil and sear for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.

This browning step develops flavor and creates a light crust that helps the meatballs hold their shape during baking.

Step 3: Bake and Rest the Meatballs

• seared meatballs from Step 2

Transfer the skillet to the preheated 400°F oven (or transfer the browned meatballs to a baking sheet if your skillet isn’t oven-safe) and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted into the largest one reads 165°F.

Remove from the oven and let the meatballs rest for 2 minutes before serving—this allows the juices to redistribute and keeps them moist.

I always let them cool for a minute or two because they’re quite delicate when hot and benefit from that brief rest.

Step 4: Plate and Serve

• cooked meatballs from Step 3
• 1 cup tzatziki sauce
• 1 tbsp mint

Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter or individual plates.

Drizzle or dollop the tzatziki sauce over the top, or serve it on the side for dipping.

Garnish with additional fresh mint if desired.

Greek Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs

Delicious Greek Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1125 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meatballs::

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 3/4 cup panko (I always use Kikkoman for a lighter, crispier texture)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup feta (crumbled into 1/4-inch chunks so it stays intact when cooking)
• 1/4 cup red onions (finely minced to about 1/8-inch pieces to distribute flavor evenly)
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for a mild, balanced flavor)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

For serving::

• 1 tbsp mint
• 1 cup tzatziki sauce

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, eggs, crumbled feta, minced red onions, sun dried tomatoes, dried dill, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, lemon zest, and mint. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs tough and dense. The mixture should hold together when squeezed but still feel light and airy. I find that using my fingertips rather than my whole hand keeps the mixture tender and prevents the feta from breaking down too much.
• Preheat your oven to 400°F. While it heats, shape the mixture into 15 equal-sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches each) using your hands or a small ice cream scoop for consistency. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, gently place the meatballs in the hot oil and sear for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. This browning step develops flavor and creates a light crust that helps the meatballs hold their shape during baking.
• Transfer the skillet to the preheated 400°F oven (or transfer the browned meatballs to a baking sheet if your skillet isn't oven-safe) and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted into the largest one reads 165°F. Remove from the oven and let the meatballs rest for 2 minutes before serving—this allows the juices to redistribute and keeps them moist. I always let them cool for a minute or two because they're quite delicate when hot and benefit from that brief rest.
• Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle or dollop the tzatziki sauce over the top, or serve it on the side for dipping. Garnish with additional fresh mint if desired.