Herbed Chicken Meatballs
Tender chicken meatballs bound with panko and egg white and flavoured with parsley, oregano, garlic and lemon zest, baked and served with a lemon-dill yogurt sauce. Four servings in 40 minutes.
Photograph credit: Tsukune (Japanese chicken meatball) skewer, shishito (Japanese pepper) skewer, long… by goeyburner · CC0 1.0 · Wordpress
Don't Make These Mistakes
Use a small cookie scoop for even meatballs that cook in the same time.
If the mixture is too sticky to shape, chill it for 10 minutes.
Check one meatball from the middle of the tray with a thermometer.
How to Make Herbed Chicken Meatballs
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C / 355°F fan). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
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Mix the chicken, panko, egg white, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, lemon zest and pepper in a bowl until just combined.
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Shape into 20 meatballs and set them on the tray. Brush with the oil.
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Bake for 20 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and the centres reach 74°C.
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While they bake, stir the yogurt, lemon juice and dill together. Serve the meatballs with the sauce.
What's Going On Here
This is what to make on the first cool evening, when turning on the oven stops feeling like a chore. Twenty meatballs bake on one tray while you make the sauce. They can be shaped in the morning and baked when you get home. Dinner is done.
Lean chicken makes dry meatballs unless something holds the water in. Panko and grated onion do that. Egg white binds everything without adding phosphorus. Mix only until the herbs are spread through, because hard mixing makes dense, bouncy balls. Wet your hands to shape them. A short rest after baking lets the juices settle.
The sauce is a quick stir of Greek yogurt, lemon juice and dill. No salt is needed. It cools the herbs and replaces the salty dips usually served with meatballs. Eat them with rice, or tuck them into a lettuce wrap. Squeeze a little more lemon over the top before serving. Both the meatballs and the sauce are good cold in a packed lunch.
Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze cooked meatballs for up to 2 months.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- Panko gives the crunchiest crust here, but ordinary dried breadcrumbs will still fry crisp if that's what's in the cupboard.
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
What to Serve Alongside
- Steamed white rice
- Green beans
- A cucumber salad
Common Questions About Herbed Chicken Meatballs
How long does Herbed Chicken Meatballs take to make?
About 40 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Herbed Chicken Meatballs?
Use a small cookie scoop for even meatballs that cook in the same time. If the mixture is too sticky to shape, chill it for 10 minutes. Check one meatball from the middle of the tray with a thermometer.
What should I serve with Herbed Chicken Meatballs?
Steamed white rice; Green beans; A cucumber salad.
Can Herbed Chicken Meatballs be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze cooked meatballs for up to 2 months.
Is Herbed Chicken Meatballs suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is kidney-friendly, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Herbed Chicken Meatballs?
About 305 kcal per serving, with 29 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate and 17 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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