Green Goddess Chicken Meatballs
These green goddess chicken meatballs have been living in my notes app (where I keep all of my recipe information / thoughts / doodles) for close to a year. I remember making them towards the beginning of fall and feeling like it was a little too late for an herby green goddess vibe. I was recently scrolling through, came across this recipe, and thought, “YES, it’s time!”. Sometimes even the best ideas just get stuck on my phone and never make it out into the world, so I am very happy when they get their time in the sun. Not to mention, these green goddess chicken meatballs are even better than I remember. So you have that to look forward to!
They are packed with herbs, have the fluffiest consistency and are perfectly paired with the lemony yogurt + crunchy cucumbers. It’s one of those meals that is easy enough for a busy weeknight dinner, but would also easily impress guests over the weekend. The meatballs can be made gluten-free by simply swapping the breadcrumbs and you could even use a plant-based yogurt for a fully dairy-free meal.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 cup mix of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, chives, mint)
- 1 small shallot or white onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (or almond flour)
- pinch pepper
- ½ cup greek style yogurt (any kind, I used full-fat)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- salt + pepper to taste
- 3 small persian cucumbers (or 1 large)
- splash of: olive oil, salt, red wine vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
Make the cucumber salad:
- Slice the cucumbers into chunks or medium slices, add to a bowl with a generous pinch of salt, pepper, a little olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar (or lemon juice). Toss and set aside.
Make the yogurt:
- Combine all ingredients together, mix well, and set aside or spread evenly on your serving platter.
Make the meatballs:
- In a food processor, combine the egg, roughly chopped herbs, salt, shallot, garlic clove, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until mixed well.
- To a large bowl, add the egg + herb mixture and breadcrumbs. Stir together and let sit 5 minutes. I sweat this makes a big difference in the end texture!
- Add the ground chicken and mix well, without over doing it, using either your hands or a spatula. I prefer hands to get everything incorporated together.
- Cook on the stovetop in a cast iron or other frying pan. Let the pan heat up over medium heat, add a splash of olive oil and then wait another minute. Make sure it's hot before adding the meatballs for a good sear! Cook until internal temperature reads 165, flipping/rolling as needed (about 7-8 minutes per side).
- If they're getting too brown, but aren't done yet, turn the heat down, add a splash of water and cover to help them cook through.
- You can also cook in the oven by laying on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cooking at 400 degrees for around 20-25 minutes.
- Place the meatballs over the yogurt, pile the cucumbers on top and finish with more fresh mint or dill if you have extra!
