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Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo

Greek chicken meatballs with lemon orzo featuring herbed, golden chicken meatballs over creamy, lemony orzo with wilted spinach, crumbled feta, fresh dill, and tzatziki. Quick skillet sear plus simmered orzo makes a Mediterranean chicken dinner that’s saucy, bright, and fragrant with dill and lemon.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Herbed chicken meatballs
  • 1 lb ground chicken Use 80–93% lean for best browning.
  • 0.25 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 3 clove garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill Chopped.
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing.
Lemon orzo
  • 1.5 cup orzo pasta
  • 2.5 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest Additional zest.
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 0.5 crumbled feta For serving.
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill For serving.
  • 0.25 cup tzatziki For drizzling.
  • 1 lemon slices Optional, for serving.

Equipment

  • 1 large cast iron skillet
  • 1 medium saucepan

Method
 

Form the meatballs
  1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, fresh dill, dried oregano, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed. Form into 16 meatballs.
Sear the meatballs
  1. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear meatballs for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then remove.
Cook the lemon orzo
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook 8-10 minutes until tender and the broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and baby spinach, cooking just until the spinach wilts. Remove from heat.
Serve
  1. Spoon lemon orzo into bowls and top with the meatballs. Finish with crumbled feta and fresh dill.
  2. Drizzle with tzatziki and finish with extra lemon zest. Add lemon slices around the bowl if desired.

Notes

For juicier meatballs, keep the mixture lightly packed and avoid over-handling once the herbs and egg are incorporated. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth. Freezing: meatballs freeze well (up to 2 months), but the orzo may soften after thawing. For a lighter option, use part-skim feta and reduce butter to 1 tablespoon (texture remains creamy but less rich).