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Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls with Lemon Rice

Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls with Lemon Rice reads sourness 6.8, citrus 6.1 and salinity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 8.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 6.8 · Citrus 6.1 · Salinity 4.9 · Richness 4.1 · Umami 4.0 · Funk & Ferment 3.5 · Allium 3.4 · Herbaceous 3.0 · Sweetness 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Nutty 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.8 · Earthy 0.6 · Fruity 0.6

What's in it (16)

• nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g
• english cucumber — 200 g
• garlic — 12 g
• dill — 11 g
• olive oil — 54 g
• lemons — 130 g
• salt — 7 g
• long-grain white rice — 177 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 414 g
• chicken — 454 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• egg — 100 g
• red onion — 118 g
• dried leaf oregano — 4 g
• feta cheese crumbles — 38 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g

Time & effort: about 45 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 118.5 kcal, 7.6 g protein, 3.9 g fat, 13.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, half of the diced cucumber, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of the dill, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and refrigerate while you cook — this is your tzatziki, and it thickens as it chills.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and toast, stirring, until the edges turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and the lemon zest, add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 16-18 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, egg, half of the grated onion, the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves, the dried oregano, the remaining 2 tablespoons of dill, the feta, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined — overmixing makes the meatballs dense — then form into 16 meatballs, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, sear the meatballs until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through to 165°F at the center, 8-10 minutes total.
5. In a small bowl, toss the remaining sliced cucumber and remaining grated onion with the remaining lemon juice and a pinch of salt; season to taste. This quick salad brightens each bowl.
6. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in any remaining lemon juice to taste.
7. Divide the lemon rice among four bowls. Top each with four meatballs, a scoop of the cucumber salad, a generous dollop of tzatziki, and a sprinkle of extra feta. Serve right away.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Grilled Greek Chicken Souvlaki — Greek
• Greek-Style Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki — Greek
• Greek Pork Souvlaki Pita Wraps — Greek
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta — Italian
• Pork Souvlaki Skewers with Pita — Greek

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.