Greek- Style Chicken Meatballs

prep time:: 20 min
total time:: 40 min

Makes 32 meatballs; 8 servings

Mint and lemon zest give a fresh flavor to chicken meatballs with tangy yogurt sauce. Lean chicken meatballs go Greek, with fresh mint, lemon zest and a creamy yogurt sauce. Freeze or refrigerate half the meatball mixture to make meatballs for a warming Chicken Meatball Soup later on.

ingredients

2 pounds ground chicken
4 scallions, chopped
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint (or 2 Tablespoons dried mint)
1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups plain yogurt (low-fat or full-fat)
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 cups cooked white or brown rice, warmed through

directions

1
step 1: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, the scallions, 2 Tablespoons of the chopped mint (or 1 Tablespoon of dried mint), the lemon zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well.
2
Divide the mixture equally and store half in a Ziploc Snap ’n Seal container in the freezer or refrigerator for another meal later. Shape the remaining half into 16 one-inch-wide balls.
3
Note: The mixture can be refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to two weeks. The half you put away for later will leave you enough for two batches of Chicken Meatball Soup or for another light dinner of meatballs.
4
step 2: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 20 minutes or until they are cooked through and browned all over. Turn off the heat and keep the meatballs warm by covering the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil.
5
step 3In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with 1/2 cup of water, 1 Tablespoon of mint (or 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried mint), cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Serve the meatballs over the rice, drizzled with yogurt sauce and sprinkled with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of chopped mint (or 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried mint).

notes

If possible, use fresh mint instead of dried, because it will yield a finished dish with a fresher flavor. The cooked meatballs can be cooled and kept frozen in a Ziploc® Brand Freezer Bag with the Double Zipper Seal for up to two weeks, or refrigerated for up to two days.

Source: Sonya