Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Meat and Produce
- 500 g ground chicken, raw
- 2 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh mint, finely chopped
Dairy and Binder
- 120 g plain greek yogurt, whole milk preferred
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 60 g rolled oats
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Pantry and Seasonings
- 2 g dried oregano
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 56 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 147 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 30 mg
- Potassium
- 130 mg
- Calcium
- 35 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 7 mg
- Phosphorus
- 63 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 1.2 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 24 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, egg, and rolled oats. Stir well and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so the oats can hydrate and soften.
Add the ground chicken, crumbled feta, minced garlic, fresh mint, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper to the hydrated oat mixture. Mix gently with clean hands just until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs tough.
Scoop the mixture and roll into 24 even-sized meatballs, approximately 35 grams each. Place them on the prepared baking sheet with a small amount of space between each.
Lightly drizzle or brush the top of the shaped meatballs with olive oil to promote even browning in the oven.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through, firm to the touch, and lightly golden. The internal temperature of the poultry must reach 74°C (165°F) for safe consumption.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes before serving or packing for storage. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute.
Chef's Notes
- Hydrating the rolled oats in yogurt and egg creates a panade. This technique traps moisture and prevents the lean ground poultry from drying out during the baking process.
- For the best texture and flavor, avoid using pre-crumbled feta, which often contains anti-caking agents like cellulose. Purchase a block of feta in brine and crumble it yourself by hand.
- These meatballs are an excellent meal prep asset. You can double the batch and freeze half. When adding frozen meatballs to a soup, simply drop them into the simmering broth during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Meatballs will firm up slightly when chilled.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Reheating: Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or bake at 180C/350F for 10 minutes until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Meatball mixture is too sticky to roll into spheres
Cause: High moisture content from yogurt and feta combined with warm ambient temperature
Fix: Chill the bowl of mixture in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before attempting to shape again.
Prevention: Keep ingredients very cold and work quickly. Use damp hands when rolling.
Meatballs are tough, dense, or rubbery
Cause: The meat mixture was overworked during the mixing or shaping phase
Fix: Cannot be fixed texturally, but serving them submerged in a hot broth or rich tomato sauce can help mask the density.
Prevention: Mix with a light hand, folding the ingredients together until just combined rather than squeezing forcefully.
Cultural Context
Drawing direct inspiration from Greek keftedes and Middle Eastern kofta, these meatballs utilize the classic Mediterranean flavor trinity of mint, garlic, and sheep milk cheese. The addition of yogurt directly into the meat matrix is a traditional technique used across the Levant to tenderize lean proteins and provide a subtle, craveable tang.
