This Greek-inspired recipe for Chicken Meatball Pitas is quick, easy and perfect. It has all the elements of a great dinner: a well-seasoned lean protein, creamy feta, whole-wheat pitas, and a burst of flavor from tzatziki sauce. It makes for a great meal prep and easy lunch, too. Just keep the whipped feta and tzatziki in the fridge until you are ready to eat!
First, make the meatballs. I use ground chicken for this recipe, but the turkey would be great, too. Add the seasoned bread crumbs, minced garlic, herbs, lemon zest, and salt and black pepper. Mix to combine the flavors, then form the mixture into meatballs. Now, cook the meatballs in olive oil until browned all over and cooked through. In the meantime, prepare the tzatziki sauce and whipped feta. To assemble, warm the pitas and layer each one with the prepared whipped feta, chicken meatballs, and tzatziki sauce. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if you wish, and serve.
To make the Chicken Meatball Pitas, you will need the following ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine 1 pound ground chicken, ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried dill weed, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Mix until just combined. Wet your hands and form the mixture into meatballs.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the meatballs in a single layer and sear until browned all over. Once browned, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 ℉. Alternatively, pop the meatballs in the 350 ℉ oven for 10 minutes to cook through.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup grated and squeezed cucumber, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 2 minced garlic cloves, juice and zest of 1 lemon, and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning if needed. Chill until ready to serve. If making ahead, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
In a food processor, add 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese and 3 tablespoons chopped roasted red bell peppers. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. If making ahead, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Layer the warmed pitas with whipped feta and chicken meatballs and drizzle with tzatziki sauce. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves or herbs of choice and serve.
These easy Chicken Meatball Pitas are bursting with flavor and perfect for a weeknight dinner. Just take a few ingredients from Greek culinary tradition – whipped feta and tzatziki – and pile them, along with the pan-seared chicken meatballs, onto a warm pita. You can have a delightful meal on the table in under an hour. Made it? Let us know! Tag @cookmerecipes on Instagram and hashtag it #cookmerecipes
Delicious! Made these pitas for our family dinner, and everyone loved them. The tzatziki was a hit with the kids.
Dude, these meatball pitas are amazin! Made 'em for the fam last night, they loved it big time.
I tried these chicken meatball pitas last week and they were exceptional! My kids loved them, and they were so easy to make. Perfect for a fun dinner night!
Simple, delicious dish.
These Chicken Meatball Pitas are so easy to prepare. My husband loved them for dinner last night. Great flavor and perfect for meal prep.
Quick dinner! Made these pitas for a family night. Yum!
I made these Chicken Meatball Pitas for a quick dinner last week, and I just loved them! They were so easy to whip up, and the tzatziki added such a nice touch. I even packed some leftovers for lunch the next day! This recipe will definitely become a regular in my kitchen.
Family loved it!
