Hey everyone! These spanakopita inspired chicken meatballs are my new favorite easy protein to enjoy with the usual selection of fridge favorites. The recipe combines creamy valbreso feta chunks with fresh spinach and loads of garlic for delicious flavor. You can make a batch of meatballs but they also make delicious burgers or patties. Serve them on a platter with fresh vegetables or wrap them in lettuce with all your favorite burger fixings.

Tips:

You can use frozen spinach, just make sure you drain it really well so that you’re not adding a lot of extra moisture. It’ll be more difficult for the meatballs to hold together if there’s too much water.

I use Valbreso feta, which is a French-style cheese with a milder taste than others I’ve found at the market. If you don’t mind a stronger flavor please use whichever feta you have available. Buying the big chunk and crumbling or cubing it yourself is great because the cheese crumbles aren’t dried out.

For patties, this mixture makes 4 equal servings. Please feel free to use turkey if you prefer! I’m on a bit of a ground chicken roll haha.

You can cook this completely in the frying pan without transfering to the oven, I just do it to make sure it’s cooked through. I’ve seen some of my friends cook it on their grill and they’ve enjoyed it that way.

Spanakopita Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion (white and green parts - about 2 stalks)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 cups chopped fresh spinach (about 3-4 ounces)
zest of 1 medium lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (About 4 ounces, add more if you love cheese like me)
1 medium egg
1 lb lean ground chicken

Guide:

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

a fork to combine all ingredients except egg and chicken in a mixing bowl. You want to mix the spices and herbs first for even distribution. Add the egg and ground chicken, then gently mix and form 1 -ounce meatballs with your hands. Shallow fry in olive oil over medium heat until golden, turning occasionally with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. You can finish these in the oven at 350°F until cooked through if you’re unsure. The internal temperature should read 165°F on a meat thermometer. I use this instant-read thermometer, it’s accurate and has been going strong for the last 3 years.

Serve these meatballs with your favorite vegetables and tzatziki. I like to serve mine with a mixture of plain yogurt, the juice of the lemon that I zested, garlic, salt and herbs like dill or chives and sometimes feta. Please click this link for a more detailed explanation on the feta/yogurt sauce and while you’re there, those chicken skewers are also a huge favorite around here!

Serves 4 people.