Description
These baked Greek chicken meatballs are a gluten free weeknight dinner must! Made with ground chicken, an array of aromatic spices, lots of fresh herbs (dill, parsley, & mint!), a little finely diced red onion, zippy lemon zest, and no breadcrumbs, almond flour, or coconut flour. They come together on a sheet pan in the oven in right around 30 minutes, and boast some serious flavor. A perfect pairing with rice, a fresh salad, and a creamy sauce like our Homemade Dairy Free Tzatziki!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (we prefer dark meat, but either will work)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup very finely diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the meatball mixture. Add ground chicken, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (if using), 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped dill, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons chopped mint, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest to a large bowl. Using a fork or a chopstick mix together, until thoroughly combined, being very careful not to overmix. Overmixed = less tender meatballs!
- Shape and bake meatballs. Using a tablespoon or a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion meatballs and shape with your hands. Keeping your hands moist with water will help prevent them from getting sticky. I like to have a small dish of water on my work station, or do it next to the sink with the faucet running in bare stream to wet my hands as needed. Evenly space meatballs on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown. If the meatballs are cooked but not yet as brown as you’d like, you can broil them for 1-2 minutes before pulling from the oven. Just keep a close eye on the parchment paper since everyone’s ‘broil’ setting is a little different and parchment paper can burn at too high of a temperature!
- Serve and enjoy! Serve hot with a side of tzatziki sauce as an appetizer, in a rice bowl, or with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
These meatballs should keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
They can be reheated in the oven on a low-ish temp (325-350 degrees), until warmed through, or in the microwave.
If you have extra you’d like to freeze they can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed container and defrosted overnight in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Greek