Yes, you read that right: Chicken Cilantro Meatballs (?efteda?? ??t?p????? µe ????a?d?? -keftedaki kotopoulou me koliandro) with a cilantro yogurt sauce.

I absolutely love these and they are probably one of my favorite Greek meze (appetizer). They are made with chicken and not beef, so they are like the healthier version of keftedes.

What I really love about these is all the flavors that are in play. The meatballs themselves are loaded with ingredients like onions, cilantro (coriander), cumin, and marjoram.

As for the dipping sauce, well since I love cilantro (coriander), it’s divine and goes perfectly with these. If you are not a big cilantro fan, you could easily sub it for tzatziki,  which is also delicious.

The overall process of making these are pretty straightforward, and can be done with relative ease. They only thing to pay attention to is the refrigerator bit. Make sure you let them sit  to firm up like step 2 says, as if you skip this, they may not hold up well.

Other than that, it’s as simple as adding everything together, rolling and frying for a few minutes on each side.  

If you do decide to make them, don’t forget that the yogurt sauce really makes this dish shine. The meatballs on their own pack great flavor, but there it just something about the cilantro sauce that takes it to a whole new level.

If you’re looking for an appetizer to make that’s easy and delicious, this is the perfect thing you can create. Give it a try and enjoy some chicken meatballs - Greek style - tonight!

Ingredients

• -Meatballs-
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons cilantro (also known as coriander)
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper
• flour
• -Yogurt Sauce-
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 tablespoon cilantro (coriander)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6

Preparation

1. In a large bowl combine: chicken, onion, cilantro, cumin, marjoram, egg, olive oil, bread crumbs, salt and pepper - mix well.
   
2. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to allow bread crumbs to absorb the liquid.
   
3. While the chicken mixture is in the fridge, begin the yogurt sauce.
   
4. In a bowl add: greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper - mix well.
   
5. Place yogurt sauce in fridge until needed.
   

1. Once the time has passed, the meatballs should be ready to go.
   
2. Heat some oil in a frying pan.
   
3. Rub your hands in some flour to avoid sticking.
   
4. Take a spoon full of the chicken mixture, roll it in flour, shake off excess and form into a ball.
   
5. Place in pan.
   
6. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, should be a nice golden brown.
   
7. When done, remove and place on paper towel.
   
8. Cook meatballs in batches until all mixture is used
   
9. Serve with coriander yogurt sauce!
   

Adapted from: Vefa’s Kitchen Cookbook