Lemony Chicken & Rice Meatballs
Tender citrus-kissed meatballs, made for lazy elegance. Hidden veg, zero stress, and oven-baked to golden comfort. Serve them skewered on rosemary sprigs like you planned ahead — or pile them on a platter with dipping sauces and pretend you're the host with the most.
Ingredients
- 1 lb 450 g ground chicken
- 1 cup cooked white rice preferably cold or leftover
- 1 small zucchini grated and squeezed dry (about ½ cup packed)
- 1 small carrot grated (about ⅓ cup packed)
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil for brushing or spraying
- Optional: Fresh rosemary sprigs for skewers
- Dipping ideas: lemony aioli yogurt-garlic dip, or green tahini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Grate zucchini and carrot; squeeze out excess moisture with a paper towel.
- In a large bowl, mix ground chicken, rice, grated veg, lemon zest, minced garlic, sliced green onion, a dollop of Dijon, an egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
- Roll into meatballs — somewhere between tablespoon and golf ball size.
- Lightly brush or spray with olive oil.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
- Optional: once cool enough, skewer with rosemary sprigs for bonus apéro points.
- Serve warm or at room temp with lemony aioli, spicy yogurt dip, or herby tahini sauce.
Notes
What makes it work: The rice keeps things tender, the veg disappears into the mix, and the lemon brightens it all.
Subs & shortcuts: Use pre-shredded carrots or frozen zucchini. Swap panko for crushed crackers or oats.
Toddler-friendly tip: Shape smaller for mini hands and skip the rosemary skewers. Serve with ketchup, they’ll think it’s fancy.
Apéro energy: Pair with chilled white wine and a citrusy dipping sauce. Scatter rosemary needles over the plate like you meant to.