Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Rice is a Mediterranean skillet dinner, both hearty and light. Tender ground chicken meatballs simmered in lemon broth are served over sticky basmati rice for a sumptuous bright dish.

If you love these Chicken Meatballs With Lemon Rice, you will also love this Greek Chicken Orzo-Giouvetsi Kotopoulo, Chicken Skewers Orzo Bowls with Lemon or Buttermilk Chicken Thighs With Lemon Garlic Orzo !

Chicken meatballs on lemon rice in a plate with a lemon wedge and utensils.

Why this recipe sings

Our chicken meatballs and lemon rice is a delicious, simple dinner. The dish is ready in 45 minutes, delivering maximum flavor. 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.

I have a secret to tell you. Lemon rice is a popular dish in the USA. However, in Greece, we don’t typically make “lemon rice.” Let me explain. Greeks cook plain rice (πιλάφι, pilafi) served as a side. The rice becomes lemony by adding the sauce of the main dish on top. There are recipes for lemon risotto, including parmesan and other ingredients, but I would call them more Italian than Greek.

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

Ground chicken, lemons, bowls with tomatoes , rice, broth, an onion and a garlic head, herbs and spices on a wood table.

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.

You also need

Sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Chili flakes. For serving.

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

How to make this recipe

Prepare the meatball mixture

Add the onion and mint to a food processor and pulse until all is chopped well but not mushy.
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).
Cover and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm.
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.

Chicken meatballs lined up in a black baking sheet on a table. — Pop the meatballs in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm them up.

Four meatballs in a cast iron skillet cooking. — Work in batches of three or four meatballs. It will be easier to flip them.

Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Sear the meatballs for 3 minutes pers ide. 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.
Transfer meatballs to a plate when they are done browning.

Make the lemon sauce and finish cooking the meatballs

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.
Add the broth, lemon juice and ground mustard. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.
Add the meatballs back into the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked.

Chopped garlic and rosemary leaves in a cast iron pan. — Saute garlic and rosemary together for a minute or two.

Meatballs and broth in a cast iron skillet. — The meatballs finish cooking in the sauce and become super moist and delicious.

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 with water to remove extra starch.
In a pot, add the butter over medium-high heat. When it melts, add the rice and toast until translucent, about one minute. Add the broth, stir, and cover the pot. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the stove as it is.
Let the rice cook in the hot broth for 15 minutes.
When time is up, fluff the rice with a fork and serve.