Effortless Lemon Chicken Feta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Meatballs
01 -
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying
02 -
¼ teaspoon black pepper
03 -
½ teaspoon salt
04 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 -
2 teaspoons lemon zest
06 -
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
07 -
1 egg
08 -
¼ cup breadcrumbs
09 -
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
10 -
1 lb ground chicken
→ For the Garlic Orzo
11 -
Salt and pepper, add as you like
12 -
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 -
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 -
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 -
2 tablespoons butter
16 -
1 cup orzo pasta
# Instructions:
01 -
Spoon the garlicky orzo onto plates, pile on the warm meatballs, and sprinkle extra parsley, feta, or more lemon zest if you want to get a bit fancy.
02 -
Drop your butter into a big skillet over medium heat. Once it's melted, toss in the garlic and cook for a minute or two until you can really smell it and it's got a hint of gold.
03 -
While your meatballs get toasty, boil your orzo in a pot of salty water. Follow what's on the box, drain it out, and leave it for now.
04 -
Scoop the chicken mix and roll into around 16 to 18 balls. Lay them out on your lined baking pan and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes until you see a nice golden color and they've cooked through.
05 -
Toss your chicken, feta, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a big bowl. Mix them up just until they all stick together—stop once it looks mixed or you'll make the meat tough.
06 -
Crank up the oven to 375°F (190°C) and cover your baking sheet with parchment paper so nothing grabs on.
# Notes:
01 -
You can mix up the meatballs the evening before, stash them in the fridge, and just bake when you're hungry
02 -
Stash leftovers in a covered container in your fridge for up to four days and they'll still taste great
03 -
Try ground turkey if you don't have chicken, or go for goat cheese or ricotta if feta’s not your favorite