Greek Chicken Meatball Lunch Bowl

Greek Chicken Meatball Lunch Bowl

Written by Published on in Uncategorized
Greek Chicken Meatball Lunch Bowl
Print

Greek Chicken Meatball Lunch Bowl

Recipe by renee Ellis
Servingsservings
Prep timeminutes
Cooking timeminutes
Calorieskcal

Ingredients

  • Meatball

  • 1 lb. Ground Chicken (96% lean, not breast only)

  • 1/2 Cup Yellow Onion, finely chopped

  • 1/4 Cup Parsley, finely chopped

  • 2 Tbsp Mint, finely chopped

  • 3 Cloves Garlic, minced

  • 1 Egg

  • 1 Tbsp Coriander

  • 1+1/2 tsp Cumin

  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt

  •  1 Tbsp Avocado or Olive Oil▪️

  • Marinated Tomatoes & Cucumbers

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinega

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or basil, chopped (for garnish)

  • Greek-style yellow basmati rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or dill (optional, for garnish)

  •  Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

  • Homemade Tzatziki

  • 1 large cucumber

  •  2 cups Greek yogurt

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or mint)

  • Salt, to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

Directions

  • Combine the ground chicken, onion, parsley, mint, garlic, egg, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl
  •  Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil; place dollops of the chicken mixture (1 heaping Tbsp each.) onto the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned; flip over and flatten slightly with the spatula, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until internal temp reaches 165F; repeat until all chicken is cooked.
  • Prepare the Vegetables: 
    ● Wash the cherry tomatoes and cucumber thoroughly. 
    ● Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the cucumber thinly. Combine in a bowl. 
  •  Make the Marinade: 
    ● In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Marinate: 
    ● Pour the prepared marinade over the vegetables. Gently toss to ensure all the vegetables are coated evenly with the marinade.
  • Chill: 
    ● Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the mixture to an airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, allowing the flavors to meld together. ● Serve: 
    ● Once marinated, remove from the refrigerator and place on one side of the lunch bowl on the bed of rice.
  • Rice:  Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming sticky.
  •  In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until it becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the minced garlic to the saucepan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. ● Stir in the ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper. Cook the spices with the onions and garlic for about 1 minute to toast them slightly and release their flavors. 
  • Add the rinsed basmati rice to the saucepan, stirring well to coat the rice grains with the spiced onion mixture.
  • Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. ● Once the rice is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice and for the flavors to meld. 
  • Fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  • Transfer the yellow basmati rice to a serving dish and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or dill, if desired. Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the rice. 
  • Tzatziki: Grate the cucumber using a box grater or food processor. If the cucumber has large seeds, you may want to remove them before grating. Once grated, place the cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with papertowel. Sprinkle a little salt over the cucumber and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes to drain excess moisture. 
  • While the cucumber is draining, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. Mix well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. ● Add the grated cucumber to the yogurt mixture.
  • Add the chopped fresh dill (or mint) to the bowl with the yogurt and cucumber mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir all the ingredients together until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired.
  • Cover the tzatziki and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. ● Before serving, give the tzatziki a quick stir. If desired, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top and garnish with a sprig of fresh dill or mint.

Comments are closed.