We are meatball obsessed in my house and I am a firm believer that meatballs don’t have to be just for Italian cuisine! I love taking some of my favorite flavors, like chicken shawarma, and turning them into a meatball! I love that meatballs can be prepped in advance, are kid-friendly, and make for an easy dinner any night of the week! Greek flavors in general are some of my favorite and I created a bowl that combines all of my favorites into one dish that makes for the best weeknight dinner! My chicken shawarma meatball bowls are full of flavor and easy to whip up making this recipe ideal for a healthy family friendly dinner!
I first fell in love with shawarma flavors when we were living in Louisiana and had this amazing Lebanese restaurant down the street from our house. We ordered takeout almost weekly because it was seriously that delicious. I always got their chicken shawarma salad and since moving away, have figured out ways to satisfy my cravings with homemade versions of some sort! And while I don’t have the equipment to make traditional slow roasted shawarma, I have found a few shortcuts along the way that definitely help to satisfy my cravings when they hit.
Luckily for all of us shawarma is becoming more popular and most grocery stores have some version of the spice right on the spice aisle! I used to make a homemade spice blend, but since discovering the store bought version, usually go for that one for convenience sake! These meatballs are seasoned with shawarma seasoning and seared in a skillet before continuing to cook in the oven, which gives them so much flavor and texture! (Hello crisp on the outside, tender on the inside little meatball!) I like to serve them just like this on a bed of orzo and crisp Greek salad for the the ultimate bowl of flavor!
YUM!
Just wait until you all try this recipe! It’s so so delicious! It’s really great not only for dinner, but also for make ahead lunches to prep for the week! Your whole family is going to love this delicious recipe addition to your normal weekday favorites, and you will too!
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Ground Chicken
2 Tbsp. Shawarma Seasoning
2 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Cooked Orzo or Rice (optional)
Pita Bread (optional)
For the Greek Salad:
1 Cup Diced Cucumbers
1 Cup Diced Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Cubed Feta Cheese
1/4 Cup Sliced Kalamata Olives
1/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Red Onion
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. Fresh Dill
1 Tbsp. Fresh Mint
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Greek Seasoning
For the Tzatziki sauce:
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 Cup Grated Cucumber
1 Finely Minced Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. Fresh Dill
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine chicken, shawarma seasoning, egg, bread crumbs, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
Form into 1 inch meatballs and then heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat.
Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and then sear meatballs on each side for 2-3 minutes.
Place into oven at this time and finish cooking for another 12-15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
While the meatballs cook, make the Greek salad by combining cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives, and onion in a large bowl.
Mix together red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oil, Greek seasoning, fresh dill, fresh mint, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a mason jar and then pour over salad.
Make tzatziki sauce by combining yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir until well combined.
Layer cooked orzo, Greek salad, meatballs, and tzatziki sauce in a bowl and serve immediately.
How gorgeous do these look? And you won’t believe how easy they are too!
