I have this thing when I cook something completely different from my usual rotation at least once a week and make every one of my kids try it, whether they like it or not. Well, when I make chicken meatballs with spinach and feta the first time, I didn’t really think it had a chance of a repeat.
To my surprise, my kids weren’t immediately turned off by all the green and the white specks of cheese – M I R A C L E! And the 4-year-old even asked for more.
Since then I’ve added this recipe to the list of my regulars and always look forward to the nights when I make it.
CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH SPINACH & FETA ARE LOADED WITH VEGETABLES
A whole pound of spinach? Yes, please! The best part is the spinach doesn’t overpower the taste, but adds a huge amount of minerals and fiber. Just look at the amount of Vitamin A below! This recipe is perfect if you are on low carb diet, with only 1g sugar per serving.
When you add onion and garlic, vegetables outweigh the meat by volume, but you could never tell. The meatballs are very satisfying for the true meat lovers out there.
VERY CUSTOMIZABLE
I love customizable recipes. I can use goat cheese instead of feta. I can add other kinds of greens to spinach. Artichoke pieces go really well here as well. Once I added chopped mushrooms because I wanted to use them up, and loved that. I often add Italian spices instead of grill seasoning.
NO MESSY FRYING
Probably my favorite part – just form the meatballs and stick them on the baking sheet. No frying or pan cleanup. I usually line my baking sheet with parchment paper, so cleaning is a breeze.
Plus the house smells divine when chicken meatballs are cooking in the oven!
CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH SPINACH & FETA MAKE GREAT LEFTOVERS
I’m not a fan of leftovers, or weekly meal prep for that matter. But these meatballs are wonderful the next day and they freeze well.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH SPINACH & FETA
Inspired by Rachel Ray’s Spanakopita Chicken Meatballs with Spicy Cucumber and Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 16 oz frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed
- 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped (I sometime cook the onions beforehand)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
- 1/2 cups Feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 lb ground chicken (I prefer thigh meat, it’s juicier)
- 1 tablespoon grill seasoning I use Simply Organic Grill for Chicken
- salt to taste
- olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
Combine 1 lb defrosted and squeezed spinach, 1/2 finely chopped onion and 3 pressed garlic cloves in a large bowl. Mix.
Add 1 lb of ground chicken, 1/2 cup crumbled Feta and 1 tablespoon grill spices. Mix well.
If you are using breast meat chicken, drizzle the spinach chicken mixture generously with olive oil and mix.
Add salt to taste.
Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.
Using a round tablespoon, form 20 or so meatballs, and arrange them on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, until juices run clear.
If desired, finish for 2-3 minutes under a broiler to brown the tops more.
Chicken Meatballs with Spinach & Feta
Ingredients
- 16 oz frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed
- 1/2 sweet onion finely chopped (I sometime cook the onions beforehand)
- 3 cloves garlic pressed or chopped
- 1/2 cups Feta cheese crumbled
- 1 lb ground chicken I prefer thigh meat, it's juicier
- 1 tablespoon grill seasoning I use Simply Organic Grill for Chicken
- salt to taste
- olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Combine 16oz of defrosted and squeezed spinach, 1/2 finely chopped onion and 3 pressed garlic cloves in a large bowl.
- Add 1 lb of ground chicken, 1/2 cup crumbled Feta and 1 tablespoon grill spices. Mix well.
- If you are using breast meat chicken, drizzle the spinach chicken mixture generously with olive oil and mix.
- Add salt to taste.
- Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.
- Using a round tablespoon, form 20 or so meatballs, and arrange them on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until juices run clear.
- If desired, finish for 2-3 minutes under a broiler to brown the tops more.
- Serve with Yogurt Dill sauce (recipe below)
Notes
- I like to add a teaspoon of dried or fresh parsley – to neutralize the garlic and onion
- If I don’t have tangy yogurt around, I like to add 1/2 squeezed lemon into the meat mixture
Nutrition
Yogurt Dill Sauce – recipe idea
Ingredients
- 16 oz greek yogurt I swear by Kalona whole milk greek yogurt!
- 2 persian cucumbers or any small cukes – shredded
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- dill and parsley as much as you want – chopped
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients.
- Use your brain, not just the recipe, taste and see what else is needed and add that. Is it too tart? Add a teaspoon of honey. Want more tartness? Add more lemon juice. Like mint? Add it.
Notes
- this sauce tastes best is allowed to sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Kalona Whole Milk Greek Yogurt is my favorite, it’s very thick, and I don’t worry about cucumbers releasing too much liquid and the sauce being too runny. Plus it’s sold at most markets.Â
- I don’t bother peeling the cukes.
