Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo

I believe dinner should make you feel like you actually love yourself for five whole minutes. Also that most midweek meals are a betrayal — except when they aren’t. This is the kind of conviction I have while stirring something that is, frankly, probably better than my GPA in college. If you like things that taste like a hug in plate form, you might also enjoy my chicken gyros with feta tzatziki, which is exactly the vibe I aim for (and sometimes wildly fail at).

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Oh wow, the first time I tried these meatballs I made a noise that still haunts my family (and my smoke alarm). They were dense in a way only existential dread could love, surprisingly squeaky when you bit them (who knew? not me), and smelled sort of like optimism and regret. I panicked and added more garlic. Then I added more breadcrumbs. Then—because I am incapable of subtlety—I tried to rescue them with an aggressive lemon squeeze. The texture: cement-adjacent. The sound of someone chewing them: also cement-adjacent. I remember thinking, maybe they’re supposed to be this way. That lasted until I fed them to the dog and the dog politely refused (a dog! declining free meat!). Embarrassing. Slightly tragic. I also learned that baking at the wrong temperature is an emotion, not a technical error. But also the second time I made them, I did something different (spoiler: not everything) and it was marginally less catastrophic.

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What finally worked for these Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo was a small rebellion: fewer heroics, more math. I stopped over-stuffing the mixture (stop trying to love them into being perfect), I embraced the 1/4 cup breadcrumbs as a friend, and I folded the parsley like it mattered. Emotionally I stopped expecting miracles. Practically I followed proportions, chilled the meatballs so they stayed together, and treated lemon like a weapon used sparingly (and then not sparingly—emotional whiplash, yes). Also: parmesan? game-changer. Also also: I still second-guess whether the orzo should be fluffier. Confidence: solid. Doubt: pleasantly unruly. The recipe name pops into my head like a good 90s pop song sometimes, and sometimes I change the chorus mid-verse.

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• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Feta cheese for garnish

Budget-friendly and forgiving (use panko if you want crunch, or regular breadcrumbs if you’re mourning your pantry), texture is everything so don’t skimp on the egg, and yes, feta is emotionally required but not legally mandated.

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If you like to tinker with ounces and grams at 11 pm, this little tool will be your new best friend.

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• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• 2. In a bowl, mix ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
• 3. Form the mixture into meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.
• 4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
• 5. In a pot, bring chicken broth to a boil, then add orzo and cook according to package instructions.
• 6. Once orzo is cooked, drain and return to the pot. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and olive oil. Mix well.
• 7. Serve meatballs over lemon orzo and garnish with feta cheese.

Also: don’t overcrowd the pan (I know you want to fit them all on one sheet like Tetris, but spacing matters), chill the formed meatballs for 10 minutes if they’re limp, and if you overdo the lemon you can—like me—immediately regret it and live. SMALL TIP: if you’re into browning, a quick sear before baking makes them look professional (and lies a little).

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Do you have a kid who refuses anything that isn’t neon-colored? A roommate who only eats things with cheese on top? Do you silently judge friends who bring store-bought tzatziki to potlucks? Tell me which one you are. I ask because this is where we get real: these meatballs fit into chaos politely. They don’t demand an Instagram setup. They show up with lemon breath and charisma. Did I ever mention the time I thought I could substitute cottage cheese for feta? You guessed it—no. Also, if you’re here because you loved my chicken chow mein with the best chow mein sauce, you probably appreciate a pantry-hack approach to dinner and you’re my people.

I keep thinking about how dinners like this shape memory: a lemony bite, the tiny crumble of feta, arguments about whether or not we should buy a third cutting board (we did; it’s hiding under the sink), and the way a simple meal can make you feel like an adult again for approximately 23 minutes. Also I need to remember to pick up more parsley, because apparently I cannot live on the economy-sized dried kind forever. If you make them, tell me what you over-salted (I will judge and then empathize) — oh god I need to feed the cat —

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo

A comforting dish featuring savory chicken meatballs served over zesty lemon orzo pasta, garnished with feta cheese.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Servings 4 servings

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the Meatballs

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs can use panko or regular breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese emotionally required
• 1 piece egg adds moisture and helps bind
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Lemon Orzo

• 1 cup orzo pasta can substitute with cauliflower rice for lower carbs
• 2 cups chicken broth for cooking orzo
• 1 piece lemon juice and zest used
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Feta cheese for garnish adds creaminess to the dish

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• In a bowl, mix ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
• Form the mixture into meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.
• Chill the formed meatballs for 10 minutes if they are too limp.

Baking

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

Cooking Orzo

• In a pot, bring chicken broth to a boil.
• Add orzo and cook according to package instructions.
• Once orzo is cooked, drain and return to the pot. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and olive oil. Mix well.

Serving

• Serve meatballs over lemon orzo and garnish with feta cheese.

Notes

Don’t overcrowd the pan while baking the meatballs. A quick sear before baking can help make them look more professional.

Keyword Chicken Meatballs, Comfort Food, Easy Dinner Recipe, Greek Cuisine, Lemon Orzo