There are a lot of meatball recipes on Well Seasoned, but we’re just going to say it: these Lemon Oregano Chicken Meatballs might be the absolute best! We’re talking tender, juicy, and packed with lemon flavor! A crumble of fresh feta cheese at the end takes them over the top.
Not only are these meatballs completely delicious on their own — they seriously have the most amazing, bright lemony flavor! — but you’re left with a delicious pan sauce that will instantly elevate whatever you serve them with, whether it’s rice, pasta, or a big piece of crusty bread. No pan sauce left behind!
While almost every other meatball recipe here on Well Seasoned is baked or broiled, we think these chicken meatballs, given their delicate, light texture, benefit from a good sear on all sides before baking. The contrast in texture — crispy exterior, juicy, tender center — is so pleasing. You’re absolutely going to LOVE these meatballs!
Ingredient Notes
The meatballs are made from ground chicken (you can use white meat chicken or dark meat chicken), traditional breadcrumbs, finely chopped garlic cloves, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, an egg, a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and Kosher salt.
Certainly you could substitute ground turkey for ground chicken, as they’re both mild in flavor. Ground lamb would also take well to the lemon and oregano flavor profile!
To make the sauce, you’ll need some dry white wine, chicken stock, shallots, red pepper flakes, and lemon slices. Garnish the chicken meatballs with fresh oregano, dill, and feta cheese.
And if you simply can’t get enough Greek-inspired flavors, be sure to check out our one pot chicken and rice — it is a family favorite!!
How To Make The Best Ground Chicken Meatballs
Place ground chicken in a large bowl, then add breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, a whisked egg, EVOO, and salt on top. Use your hands or a spatula to throughly mix. Because of the egg, lemon juice, and olive oil, these meatballs stay very moist. Pretty hard to overwork the mixture.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, then scoop heaping portions of the meatball mixture using a small cookie scoop. Line these up on the baking sheet until you’ve used all the ground chicken. Next, wearing kitchen gloves (if you have them — or slightly wet hands if you don’t!), roll each meatball to be uniform in size and shape.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, then add 2 Tbsp olive oil. When hot, add meatballs, leaving about ½” in between them. You may need to work in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until browned all over, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove meatballs to a plate.
Add sliced shallots and a pinch of red pepper flakes, then cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with white wine and chicken stock, then add a few lemon slices and swirl. Return meatballs to the pan, then transfer to a preheated oven (350F) and cook for ~8 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
Garnish with fresh oregano and dill, then sprinkle with feta cheese and serve immediately!
How To Serve
Highly recommend you serve these chicken meatballs over white rice. The rice will absorb that glorious lemon sauce, which adds so much flavor! You could easily substitute rice with couscous, quinoa, or any other grain.
As far as vegetable side dishes, we keep things simple with sautéed zucchini and yellow squash (with a similar flavor profile: lemon and oregano!). Roasted broccoli, broccolini, or grilled asparagus are fantastic too!
And if you want to keep the side dishes no cook, simply serve with our favorite house salad and crusty baguette. Easy!
Looking For More Chicken Recipes?
These are the most popular chicken recipes on Well Seasoned, perfect for easy, elevated weeknight dinners:
- Skillet Chicken with White Beans and Kale
- Chicken Florentine Recipe
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Chicken Puttanesca
- Pecan Crusted Chicken
- Chicken Patties
Quite possibly the best chicken meatballs you will ever make, and we know that’s a bold statement. If you make these Lemon Oregano Chicken Meatballs, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! DON’T FORGET to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio !! We LOVE seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
More meatball recipes to try!
- Thai Turkey Meatballs
- Sheet Pan Chicken Meatballs with Goat Cheese
- (Not Quite Kofta) Lamb Meatballs
- Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Homemade Meatballs
Lemon Oregano Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken meatballs
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- ½ cup traditional breadcrumbs
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped, about 2 Tbsp
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 large egg
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
For the sauce
- 2 medium shallots peeled and thinly sliced into half moons
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dry white wine if you don't have wine, you can use all chicken stock
- ⅔ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 lemon cut into thin ¼" thick slices
- Fresh oregano, dill, and feta cheese for serving
Instructions
- Make the meatball mixture. Place 2 lbs ground chicken in a large bowl, then add ½ cup breadcrumbs, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 Tbsp juice, 2 tsp dried oregano, a whisked egg, 2 Tbsp EVOO, and 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt. Use your hands or a spatula to throughly mix.
- Form the meatballs. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, then scoop heaping portions of the meatball mixture using a small cookie scoop and line them up. Roll each meatball to be uniform in size and shape.
- Brown the meatballs. Preheat an oven to 350F. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, then add remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil. When hot, add meatballs, leaving about ½" in between them. You may need to work in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until browned all over, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove meatballs to a plate.
- Make the sauce. Add sliced shallots and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the skillet, then cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with ½ cup white wine and ⅔ cup chicken stock, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a spatula, then add a few lemon slices and swirl. Return meatballs to the pan, then transfer to a preheated oven and cook for ~8 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
- Garnish, then serve. Sprinkle with oregano leaves, fresh dill, and crumbled feta cheese. Serve immediately!
Notes
- This makes a lot of meatballs (about 2 dozen!), but most packs of ground chicken are sold in 1 lb packages, and 1 lb never seems to be enough. To freeze leftovers: allow meatballs to cool completely to room temperature. Place meatballs (and sauce, if freezing) in a freezer-safe storage bag in a single layer, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To defrost: allow to thaw overnight in a refrigerator, then reheat in a sauce pan or skillet on a stove top over medium heat until warm throughout.
Wasn’t sure what to do with my ground chicken (which I think is very underrated). I had everything in my kitchen to make these and they were terrific. Recipe was flavorful and super easy to make. Will definitely make these again. Thank you.
Yessss!! So happy you gave these a try, I think they are pretty stellar! Seriously juicy, tender, and I can’t get enough of the sauce. Thanks for the feedback! xo, Ari
Once again, another absolutely hit!! Loved this recipe so much. It’s easy and quick, but full of wonderful flavors and the pan sauce is incredible! I added feta and dill into the actual meat mixture because I needed to get rid of it and it was great. Ari your recipes never disappoint, only the opposite, they get more and more delicious. I look forward to the next and will for sure be adding this recipe to my mix. Seriously, if you’re looking for something new and fun this is it! Awesome twist on meatballs!
Thanks, Alli!! Agree that these are INSANELY good — so flavorful, so moist! Thanks so much for the glowing review! xo, Ari
Made this tonight for a special dinner – it was absolutely fantastic! The flavors reminded me of the greek lemon chicken soup from my favorite greek holes-in-the-wall in New York. Added the zucchini and squash and served over Trade Joes harvest blend rice – it was so yummy!
Truly, these chicken meatballs are so moist! A game changer for ground chicken! So glad you enjoyed them too. xo, Ari
Husband took one bite and said, “So moist!” 🙂 Love all of your meatball recipes, Ari! All of those browned bits make the sauce SOO good. I didn’t have a big enough oven-safe pan, so did the last step covered on the stovetop.