Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 g ground chicken
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic, minced
- 2 g dried oregano
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
Roasted Zucchini
- 2 zucchini, sliced into 1cm rounds
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 g salt
Lemon-Feta Dressing
- 75 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 45 ml olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 lemon, zested
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 garlic, minced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 447 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1074 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 171 mg
- Potassium
- 750 mg
- Calcium
- 146 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 334 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 54 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.28 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.57 mg
- Niacin
- 7.9 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 123 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Place the grated zucchini in the center of a clean kitchen towel. Gather the corners and twist tightly over the sink to wring out as much moisture as possible.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, squeezed zucchini, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until the ingredients are just evenly distributed.
Form the chicken mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs, making about 16 in total. Arrange them evenly on one half of the prepared baking sheet.
Toss the sliced zucchini rounds with olive oil and salt. Spread them out in an even, single layer on the other half of the baking sheet.
Roast the meatballs and zucchini in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The zucchini should be tender and slightly browned, and the meatballs must reach a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
While the meatballs and zucchini are roasting, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the crumbled feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped dill, and minced garlic.
Transfer the hot roasted meatballs and zucchini to a serving platter and spoon the lemon-feta dressing generously over the top before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Squeezing the grated zucchini is the most critical step; excess water will steam the meatballs from the inside out instead of letting them roast.
- Ground chicken breast can dry out easily due to its lack of fat, but the zucchini provides continuous moisture from the inside, ensuring a tender bite.
- For an extra golden exterior, broil the meatballs for the final 2 minutes of cooking time, keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning.
- To achieve a smoother, sauce-like dressing, you can pulse the feta mixture in a food processor with a splash of water until creamy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the dressing separately from the meatballs and roasted zucchini if possible.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze meatballs only. The roasted zucchini will become mushy and the feta dressing will split when thawed.
Reheating: Microwave meatballs and zucchini until warmed through, then drizzle with cold feta dressing.
Troubleshooting
Meatball mixture is too wet to hold its shape
Cause: Zucchini was not squeezed thoroughly enough to remove its natural water content
Fix: Add an extra 10 to 15 grams of panko breadcrumbs, mix gently, and let sit for 5 minutes to absorb moisture
Prevention: Wring the grated zucchini tightly in a towel until no more liquid drips out
Meatballs are tough and dense
Cause: The meat mixture was over-mixed or compacted too tightly when shaping
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked, but the dressing will help mask the density
Prevention: Mix only until the ingredients are just combined and use a light touch when rolling
Cultural Context
Using grated vegetables to stretch and moisten ground meat is a traditional Mediterranean technique, born out of historical frugality and agricultural abundance. The combination of lemon, garlic, and feta highlights classic coastal flavors, transforming humble everyday ingredients into a vibrant and highly satisfying meal.
