Name: Greek Chicken Meatballs and Rice with Lemon Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 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; 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); 2 cups basmati rice (or the rice of your preference); 1 tablespoon butter; 4 cups water

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.

Greek chicken meatballs and rice with lemon sauce on a plate with a lemon wedge

Overview

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

Ingredients for Greek chicken meatballs: ground chicken, lemons, tomatoes, rice, broth, onion, garlic, and herbs

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.

Spooning lemon sauce over chicken meatballs and rice in a bowl

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.

Bowl of chicken meatballs and rice with lemon wedges next to the skillet

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

Not really. Greeks serve plain rice (pilafi) and pour the sauce of a lemony dish over it. That’s what gives this rice its lemon flavor.

Rice and the lemon sauce make it a full meal. Add a Greek lettuce salad (maroulosalata), horta, or crusty bread for the sauce.

The sauce is meant to be brothy, like a Greek lemon dish. One reader whisked in a little roux and cream for a richer version, and it works if you prefer it that way.