These Greek chicken meatballs are seasoned with fresh mint, lemon zest, and thyme, seared until golden, then finished in a garlicky lemon sauce. Spoon them over buttery rice with plenty of sauce and you have a one-skillet dinner that is hearty and bright at the same time.
If you love these Greek chicken meatballs, try my Chicken with Lemon Sauce (Kotópoulo Lemonáto), The Best Lamb Meatballs, or Youvarlakia.
Why this recipe sings
Our chicken meatballs and lemon rice is a delicious, simple dinner. The dish takes about an hour and 20 minutes, and half of that is hands-off chilling time for the meatballs.The tender meatballs are seared in olive oil and cooked in a tasty lemon sauce. Then, they are served over basmati rice with generous amounts of sauce.
Here’s a secret: in Greece, we don’t really make “lemon rice.” Greeks cook plain rice, pilafi (πιλάφι), as a side, and it turns lemony when you ladle the sauce from a lemony main dish over it. That’s exactly what happens here. The meatballs finish cooking in a lemon sauce, and that sauce does double duty on the rice. (Here’s my Greek rice pilaf.)
The lemon broth is ladled over the rice and chicken meatballs. The result is scrumptious, comforting, and satisfying. Eat like a (modern) Greek. Enjoy!
Here is what you need
For the chicken meatballs
- Ground chicken.
- Canned chopped tomatoes, well-drained.
- Lemon zest.
- Onion and garlic.
- Dried thyme
- Ground mustard.
- Breadcrumbs.
- Fresh mint leaves.
For the lemon sauce
- Rosemary leaves.
- Garlic.
- Ground mustard
- Lemon juice.
- Broth.
For the rice
- Basmati rice. Or your favorite kind.
- Butter or olive oil. For toasting the rice.
You also need
- Sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Chili flakes. For serving.
What makes these Greek chicken meatballs
Most Greek chicken meatballs you’ll find in the US lean on feta, dill, and a side of tzatziki. Mine are closer to how we season keftedes at home: fresh mint, lemon zest, onion, and garlic. Then they braise briefly in a lemon broth with rosemary and a touch of mustard. Thigh meat keeps them juicy, and the sauce keeps them moist.
How to make Greek chicken meatballs
1. Add the onion and mint to a food processor and pulse until all is chopped well but not mushy.
2. Add meat, onions, and the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl. Knead the meatball mixture well, but don’t overdo it. You want it to be fluffy and moist. Add more breadcrumbs if needed (be mindful of the amount).
3. Cover and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm.
4. Form the mixture into meatballs like a large walnut and spread them on a sheet. Pop the sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up the meatballs.
5. Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Sear the meatballs for 3 minutes pers side. Don’t disturb them once you place them on the pan. It is better to wait till they form a crust and brown and then turn them over. Chicken meatballs are fragile and might break. Work in batches of three or four meatballs tops.
6. Transfer meatballs to a plate when they are done browning.
7. In the same skillet, add the chopped garlic and rosemary leaves. Stir and saute while scrapping the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan. Their culinary definition is fond, which brings so much flavor to the sauce.
8. Add the broth, lemon juice and ground mustard. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.
9. Add the meatballs back into the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked.
Make the rice
Feel free to cook the rice the way you love. I still cook it like my mother used to. She loved toasting it with butter before adding water or broth.
Here is my mom’s rice:
- Rinse the rice to remove extra starch.
- In a pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter or warm the olive oil. Add the rice and toast until translucent, about one minute.
- Add the 4 cups water, bring to a boil, stir, and cover. Turn off the heat but leave the pot on the stove.
- Let the rice cook in the hot water for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
Serve meatballs over the rice, with a generous amount of lemon sauce all over. Add chili flakes if you like.
Tips for juicy chicken meatballs that don’t fall apart
- Use ground thigh, not breast. It has enough fat to stay tender.
- Chill twice. First the mixture, then the shaped meatballs. Cold meatballs hold together in the pan.
- Sear in small batches and don’t move them until a crust forms. Chicken meatballs are delicate until they brown.
- Let the sauce finish the job. They only need a few minutes covered in the lemon broth to cook through and soak up flavor.
Storage and make-ahead
Refrigerate leftover meatballs in their sauce, with the rice stored separately, for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth. The cooked meatballs also freeze well in their sauce for up to 3 months. You can shape the meatballs a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to sear.
What to serve with chicken meatballs
Great side dishes for this recipe are a traditional Greek lettuce salad- maroulosalata, horta -wild greens with lemon and olive oil, or delicious cauliflower steaks. Add a rustic bread for wild dipping in the lemon sauce!
FAQ
Cooked it? Rate it!
If you tried this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it — drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thegreekfoodie__.
Greek Chicken Meatballs and Rice with Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken meatballs
- 1.5 lb ground chicken, preferably from thigh
- ½ cup canned chopped tomatoes, well drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 5-6 fresh spearmint leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For searing and the lemon sauce
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
For the rice
- 2 cups basmati rice, or the rice of your preference
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cups water
Instructions
Prepare the meatball mixture
- Add the onion, garlic, and mint to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not mushy. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the ground chicken and the rest of the meatball ingredients, including the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Knead the mixture well, but don't overdo it. You want it fluffy and moist. Add a little more breadcrumbs if it feels too loose. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm.
- Form the mixture into meatballs the size of a large walnut and spread them on a sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
Sear the meatballs
- Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the ⅓ cup olive oil. Sear the meatballs for 3 minutes per side. Don't disturb them until they form a crust and brown, then turn them with a slotted spatula. Chicken meatballs are fragile, so work in batches of three or four meatballs tops. Transfer them to a plate when they are done.
Prepare the lemon sauce
- In the same skillet, add the chopped garlic and rosemary. Sauté for a minute or two, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those bits are the fond, and they bring so much flavor to the sauce. Add the broth, lemon juice, and ground mustard. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.
Finish cooking the chicken meatballs
- Return the meatballs to the skillet. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the center.
Make the rice
- Make the rice while the meatballs simmer. See the notes for my mom's method, or cook it the way you love.
Serve
- Add a cup of rice and three to four meatballs to each bowl. Pour two to three (or more!) tablespoons of lemon sauce over everything. Enjoy!
Notes
- Rinse the rice to remove extra starch.
- In a pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter or warm the olive oil. Add the rice and toast until translucent, about one minute.
- Add the 4 cups water, bring to a boil, stir, and cover. Turn off the heat but leave the pot on the stove.
Nutrition
Loving the change of pace from beef meatballs. What a great and easy dinner for any night of the week. It is always a hit with our family.
This is such a great meatball recipe! We love just about anything Greek in my house, and that sauce is amazing. 🙂
The lemon rice is my absolute favorite and it pairs so perfectly with the meatballs. Thanks for the delicious recipe. I’ll be making this for dinner soon again.
These Chicken meatballs with lemon rice was amazing . The meatballs were full of flavor while the lemon rice really pulled all the flavors together . My husband has already asked when I am making this again .
This was so delicious! Especially that lemon sauce. And it is super filling.
I could not wait to give this recipe a try, especially being a complete meal in one and it came out perfect! The meatballs were juicy and tender and the lemon rice and sauce was an amazing pairing.
What a fantastic, full of flavor dinner!!! Everyone raved about it. And the lemon rice was perfect with the meatballs. Thank you!!
This Chicken meatballs were so tasty! It was a great comforting dish to pair with lemon rice. Thanks for the recipe.
This was a perfect weeknight dinner for us. Love the chicken meatballs and the citrus sauce just completes the flavor.
Haven’t tried this yet because I’m confused as to how much broth to add to the sauce. It says, “You also need four cups of broth” – which I assume is for cooking the 2 cups of rice. But the instructions say to add broth to the pan in which you make the lemon sauce, and I don’t believe that quantity is indicated (apologies if I’ve just missed it). Thanks
Hi Carol!
The way Greeks have lemon rice is usually by pouring the sauce from the lemony dish on the rice and voila! lemon rice. We don’t intentionally make lemon rice by itself, it is most often a side dish to something saucy. So the same goes for this dish. The meatballs finish cooking in the sauce. You make your favorite rice (mine is basmati) separately and when you serve you pour plenty of the lemon sauce on the rice as well as the meatballs. My apologies for not making it clear, I will examine the post and add more info about this.
Thanks so much for checking us out!
I hope you will love this recipe. Come back and let me know!
x Jenny
It is unclear how much broth to add to the mixture with the rosemary, garlic and broth. Can you please clarify how much broth to use in the sauce?
Hi Andrea,
The broth goes in to the same pan you brown the meatballs. You transfer them to a plate, and start the sauce. Then you put them back in. I will make it more clear in the recipe. Thank you! x Jenny
Fixed! The card now lists the sauce and rice broth separately.
I made this for dinner and my husband and I like it. My husband helped me make this and said it was super easy and delicious. We are going to make this again!
That’s awesome Amy! We also love this dish, it’s easy and delish! x Jenny
I made this for the fam and it was lovely. I did change the lemon sauce however as I found it too thin and sharp for our taste so I made a roux to thicken and added cream. I know it beefs up the calorific content but it was yummy and the kids loved it! 🙂
That’s great Abbie! I love that you modified it to be more suitable to your palate. It is also a very nice modification, I will try it as well.
Thank you for trying the recipe!
x Jenny
Thank you for this recipe. The meatballs were very flavorful, and braising in the sauce made them quite tender. The sauce was delicious – it far exceeded my expectations.
That’s wonderful Cathy! I love reading your comment. Thank you so much! x Jenny