I have THE most delicious meal to tell you about today!
Spiced chicken meatballs bowls!
We love meatballs in this house. They are an easy but satisfying meal that can be made a thousand different ways. The possibilities are endless!
These meatballs are made with chicken breast, which keeps them lean and light. Don’t worry – they bake up juicy and flavorful! No dry chicken here.
I wanted to create a dish that was reminiscent of the flavors of Shawarma. Warm, spiced, savory. DELICIOUS.
Instead of using a store-bought Shawarma spice mix, I decided to make my own and add a few spices that may not be completely traditional. Which is exactly why I’m not referring to this dish as “Shawarma meatballs.” Because it’s definitely my own twist!
Into the spice mix goes warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and then some savory ones too like chili powder, garlic powder, and smoky paprika. The resulting mix is super warm and cozy but with a savory edge.
I loved the spice mixture so much that I decided to use it in both the meatballs themselves AND the whipped feta I wanted to serve them with.
Whipped feta, if you haven’t tried it yet, is seriously one of the greatest inventions of all time. I said it. I stand by it. It is ADDICTING.
We’ve been making whipped feta for years and using it in all sorts of dishes. I love it here because it serves as a creamy base for all the other flavors in the dish.
And it’s flavored with the same spices as the meatballs, which ties things together nicely. The spices also give it a cool pink hue, which I love when it comes to plating things up. I’m such a visual person, and anytime I can have a array of colors in my food, I am happy.
The meatballs are a simple mix of ground chicken breast, the spices, panko, eggs, parsley, and my secret ingredient for most of my meatball recipes: a squirt of ketchup.
Yes, ketchup. I know it is blasphemous to some, but it adds a touch of sweetness and a rounded tomato flavor. You would never know it’s there, but you miss it when it isn’t. Promise!
I like to bake my meatballs. Not only is it faster with far less clean up, but it keeps them from getting too heavy and greasy. They stay light and almost fluffy on the inside when baked.
Once you have your meatballs and whipped feta prepared, it’s pretty easy to pull these bowls together.
I like a generous schmear of the feta on the bottom of the bowl. Then I top it with meatballs, a quick tomato and cucumber salad, and some tzatziki.
The tzatziki is AMAZING here. The meatballs are spiced and savory, and the feta has its own intense flavor. The tzatziki, along with the fresh veggies, brightens things up in a wonderful way.
These bowls are just the thing I love making for weeknight meals. They’re easy, quick, and meal-prep friendly. I often double the batch of meatballs and prep the other accompaniments (whipped feta, tzatziki if using homemade, etc) and keep everything in the fridge. When it’s time to serve, things come together quickly!
And that’s how I like it after a day of making, baking, and photographing recipes. Dinner needs to be simple.
Simple but delicious!
And that’s exactly what these meatballs bowls deliver.
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Spiced Chicken Meatball Bowls with Whipped Feta & Tzatziki
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Spiced Chicken Meatball Bowls with Whipped Feta & Tzatziki have something for everyone! The mix of spices here is savory and warm, and they work wonderfully with the tang of whipped feta and the brightness of tzatziki and fresh veggies. A delicious one-bowl meal!
Ingredients
For the Spice Mixture:
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the Meatballs:
- 1 tablespoon of the spice mix
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs (you might need up to ¾ cup)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 lb ground chicken breast
- Olive oil, for baking
For the Whipped Feta:
- 1 (8-oz) block cream cheese, softened
- 8 oz feta cheese
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon of the spice mix
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For Serving:
- ⅓ cup pickled red onions
- 1 cup cucumber slices
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- Parsley
- Tzatziki
- Lemon wedges
- Additional feta cheese
Instructions
For the Spice Mixture:
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the seasonings until well combined.
- Store in an airtight container. This recipe will make roughly ¼ cup of the mix, and you can easily double it, as needed.
For the Meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the spice mix, parsley, milk, ketchup, and breadcrumbs. Taste the mixture and add more spice mix or a pinch of salt, to meet your taste. Remember, the meat is not incorporated yet, so having it be slightly overseasoned is the way to go.
- Stir in your egg and egg yolk and fold in the chicken until everything is well combined but not overmixed and gummy. Depending on how moist the chicken meat is, I may add an additional ¼ cup of breadcrumbs. You want the mixture to hold its shape when formed but not so dry that it crumbles.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Once all the meatballs are formed and on the tray, drizzle them lightly with olive oil.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp on the bottom and cooked through in the center.
- Keep warm until you are ready to serve.
For the Whipped Feta:
- While the meatballs are baking, make the whipped feta by placing the feta in a food processor and pulsing it until it is finely broken up.
- Add in the cream cheese, garlic, and spice mixture and blend until the mixture is completely smooth and fluffy. You may need to stop the machine a handful of times to scrape down the sides.
- Keep going until everything is completely smooth and creamy. Stream in the olive oil and pulse to incorporate.
- This can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Return to room temperature before serving.
To Serve:
- In a mixing bowl, combine pickled red onions, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes with a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss well to combine.
- On a serving bowl or plate, spread out a dollop of the whipped feta. I use roughly ⅓ cup for each serving.
- Top with meatballs, the veggie mixture, and some additional chopped parsley.
- Serve with tzatziki and lemon wedges for squeezing over everything. Garnish with a few additional crumbles of feta cheese.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dinner
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
great dish (or bowl) love the whipped feta and even better,Tzatziki in this, great combination of flavors, thank you