Greek-style chicken meatballs

This recipe came from the Johnson & Johnson Company website Right@Home. I tried it and just loved it! It feeds 4.


What you'll need:

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

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.

Divide the mixture equally and store half in a Ziploc® Container in the freezer or refrigerator for another meal later. Shape the remaining half into 16 one-inch-wide balls.

Note: The mixture can be refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to two weeks.

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.

step 3 In 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).

chef's 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® Freezer Bag for up to two weeks, or refrigerated for up to two days.

Cost:
ground chicken - $2.50/lb
scallions - $2.50
lemons - $1.99/4
yogurt - $2.12
rice - $2.12
Total - $10.87