Chicken meatballs with orzo
This Classic Greek dish of juicy and tender chicken meatballs with creamy orzo is a humble but delicious dinner. The perfect weeknight meal to warm the soul.
My beautiful Greek friend once told me about this recipe and I could not wait to make it. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this dish. There are so many amazing flavours from the meatballs, the broth and the orzo.
There is something so wonderful about the pairing of meatballs with pasta. It adds another dimension to the dish, it adds texture and depth and ultimate yumminess.
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There are meatballs but then there are these soft, plump and juicy chicken meatballs. It’s definitely something to get excited about and you know me, I am all about getting you excited about cooking 🙂
The whole family is going to love this because It’s so simple and uncomplicated to make but full of flavour. So easy to eat so it goes down a treat for the little ones!
Happy kids, happy mum, happy wife…HAPPY LIFE!
I know I say it A LOT but pasta is such a big part of my life and It’s dishes like this that really showcase how versatile it can be.
To say I have been a busy mum at the moment is an understatement. This is one of the recipes that has really save me from otherwise serving dinner at 9pm! Its great because the meatballs can be made and rolled the day before, just cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until needed.
It makes for a healthy and hearty dinner any night of the week.
Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
The delicate meatballs are cooked in stock which then makes for a delicious broth to be soaked up by the orzo.
There are 2 parts to this recipe, firstly making and cooking the meatballs then using the broth that the meatballs were cooked in as a stock to cook the orzo.
The technique for cooking the orzo pasta is very similar to how you would make a risotto. Adding one ladle of stock at a time and stirring until the stock has absorbed before adding the next ladle.
This adds so much more flavour than simply cooking the pasta in boiling water.
What you will need
- Chicken mince
- Panko breadcrumbs (I love that panic crumbs are coarse but light they provide a wonderful texture to the meatballs)
- egg, this is to hold your meatballs together
- Lots of grated parmesan
- Lemon
- Fresh herbs; parsley, thyme, chives
- Chicken stock, I use Massel
- Butter
- Onion
- Garlic
- orzo
What is orzo
I think of orzo like Italian pastina.
Orzo which is also called Krithiraki in Greek and known as risoni and or pastina in Italy is a type of tiny pasta that resembles the shape of a grain of rice.
You can use orzo in soups, as a side like you would couscous and It’s also great in salads.
The great thing about pastas like orzo is that because It’s so small it cooks really fast, so It’s great when you have little hungry people to feed.
It cooks to al dente in just 10 minutes.
For this recipe the orzo is cooked almost like a risotto as it soaks up the lovely broth that we cook the chicken meatballs in. It’s not only time saving but it just adds so much flavour.
How to make chicken meatballs with orzo
There are two parts to this dish that are equally important. the meatballs and the pasta.
For the meatballs, in a large bowl add chicken mince, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, fresh herbs, zest, salt and pepper and mix well with your hands to combine.
Roll the chicken mixture into 3-4cm balls.
Remember chicken mince has a different texture to beef or pork mince, it may seem very sticky. To make rolling the meatballs easier wet your hands first to stop from sticking.
To cook the meatballs, heat stock in a saucepan or large frypan over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until tender and cooked through, turning half way.
Part 2, for the orzo, melt half of the butter in a large, skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for few minutes until softened.
then pour in the orzo and coat in the onion, garlic and oil.
Next, add ladleful of stock from the meatballs, gently stirring until stock has been absorbed before adding another ladleful. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until al dente. season to perfection.
Remove from heat, add butter, cheese, and chives, then stir through meatballs.
Time to plate up!
You are done! Now for the best part, to plate up. get yourself some serving bowls and divide the orzo and meatballs between the serving bowls. You will generously serve 4 hungry people with this recipe.
Top with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of chives.
All about storing your chicken meatballs with orzo
If you are short on time the meatball mixture can be made and rolled a day ahead. Place them on a tray lined with baking paper, cover with cling wrap and keep in the fridge. You could also freeze the meatballs at that point.
Once cooked this dish can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, place in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water and simmer on low-medium heat until heated through.
Tools to make the job easier
And you are done my friend! Time to dig in and enjoy those luscious chicken meatballs and creamy orzo. I hope you enjoy every delicious spoonful as much as I do 🙂
leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to also give it a star rating.
Enjoy
MFM XX
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Chicken Meatballs with orzo
Ingredients
- 500 g Chicken mince
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus extra ½ cup to serve
- 1 tbs small bunch flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- 1 tbs chives thinly sliced
- 1 lemon zest finely grated
- 1 ltr chicken stock
- 50 g butter
- 1 small brown onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 250 g orzo or risoni dried pasta
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the chicken mince, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, half the parsley, thyme, chives, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Mix well until combined.Roll the chicken mixture into 3-4cm balls, place on a lined tray and set aside.
- To cook the meatballs, heat stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and cook for approx 10 minutes or until tender and cooked through, turning them half way.
- For the orzo, melt half of the butter in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until softened.
- Add the orzo and stir to coat in the butter mixture ensuring the all the grains of pasta are well coated.
- Add a ladleful of stock and stir until the stock has been absorbed before adding another ladleful. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the orzo is al dente.
- Remove from heat, stir through remaining butter, cheese, and herbs until combined, then stir through meatballs. test for seasoning. Divide pasta among bowls and serve.
This sounds and looks absolutely delicious! Amazing job! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Pam 🙂
Thank you!!! I’m so glad I found this recipe and this website! Everything I’ve made so far has been spot on and such a hit! Cannot wait to try more recipes. Thank you Marie
Thanks so much for the lovely comment Sally 🙂
This looks delicious! Pinned so I can try this recipe this weekend with some ground turkey I have in the freezer. Thank you for the idea!
Sounds great Christina!