One Pan Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs and Rice
These Mediterranean chicken meatballs and rice are one of those dinners that checks all the boxes: flavorful, filling, family-friendly, and made almost entirely in one pan.
Tender chicken meatballs loaded with fresh dill, parsley, garlic and red onion are nestled into basmati rice that’s perfectly seasoned. Everything finishes together in the oven until the rice is fluffy and the meatballs are cooked through.
Then comes my favorite part, the toppings, to round out each bite. I make a quick cucumber and tomato salad tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, a touch of honey and plenty of fresh herbs. I love a hot and cold moment. Spoon the cool cucumber and tomato salad along with some tzatziki over the warm rice and meatballs, and you get a little bit of everything in every bite! Warm, savory, fresh, tangy and creamy.
It’s cozy enough for fall and winter but fresh enough that I’d happily make it year-round.
Why You'll Love This Chicken Meatball and Rice Bake
This is a perfect weeknight dinner because you get your protein and rice in the same pan, while the fresh toppings make the finished dish feel much more exciting than a basic chicken-and-rice dinner.
Browning the meatballs first gives them extra flavor and texture, but they finish cooking right on top of the rice. That means all of the flavors develop together and add more depth to the final dish.
This is also very kid friendly since nothing is spicy. The chicken meatballs are a kid favorite and the whole dinner can be easily deconstructed for their plate.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Mediterranean chicken meatballs
Ground chicken: One pound of ground chicken makes tender, lean meatballs that cook right along with the rice.
Red onion: Grating the onion allows it to disappear into the meatball mixture while adding both flavor and moisture.
Panko breadcrumbs: Help bind the meatballs and keep them tender.
Fresh parsley and dill: Don’t skimp on the herbs here! They give the chicken meatballs their fresh Mediterranean flavor.
Garlic: Fresh chopped garlic adds plenty of savory flavor.
Egg: Binds everything together.
Salt and pepper: For seasoning the meatballs.
For the rice
Basmati rice: Long-grain basmati works beautifully because it cooks up light and fluffy rather than heavy or sticky.
Red onion and garlic: These create the aromatic base for the rice.
Chicken broth: The rice absorbs the broth as it bakes, giving it much more flavor than cooking it in water.
Cumin, coriander and smoked paprika: A warm, savory combination that gives the rice tons of flavor without making it spicy.
Cinnamon: Just ¼ teaspoon adds warmth in the background. You don’t want the finished rice to taste like cinnamon.
Lemon zest: Brightens up all those warm spices.
How to Make Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs and Rice
Start by preheating the oven to 375°F.
Combine the ground chicken, grated red onion, panko, parsley, dill, garlic, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix just until everything is evenly incorporated. Avoid overworking the ground chicken, which can make the meatballs tougher.
Form the mixture into meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear until lightly golden on several sides. They don’t need to be completely cooked at this point—they’ll finish in the oven. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate.
Add the diced red onion to the same skillet and sauté until it begins to soften. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cinnamon and cook for about 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add the basmati rice and stir briefly to coat it in the seasoned oil. Stir in the lemon zest.
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, then nestle the chicken meatballs back into the rice.
Bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer, cover the pan and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the rice is tender, the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken meatballs have reached 165°F internally.
Let the covered pan rest for 5–10 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice.
Don't Skip the Toppings
The contrast between the warm spiced rice and the cool, fresh toppings is what really makes this dish.
I love serving it with tzatziki, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, extra dill or parsley and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
You could absolutely get crazy here and add more toppings! Sliced red onion, olives, a drizzle of good olive oil and feta cheese would also be amazing.
Tips for Perfect Baked Rice
Use long-grain basmati rice for this recipe and don’t substitute instant or quick-cooking rice, since the liquid ratio and baking time will be different.
Once you’ve added the broth, make sure the rice is fairly evenly distributed around the pan before covering it. Keep the lid on while it bakes to help the rice fully cook.
And don’t skip the resting time. Giving the covered rice another 5–10 minutes after it comes out of the oven allows it to finish absorbing moisture before you fluff it.
What to Serve With Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs
Honestly, this one doesn’t need much. Between the chicken meatballs, rice and fresh vegetables on top, it can easily stand alone as a complete dinner.
For something extra, serve it alongside a simple chopped salad, roasted vegetables, warm pita or hummus.
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 tbsp grated red onion
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ red onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1¾ cups chicken broth
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Cucumber Tomato Salad
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup halved or diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey or to taste
- 1 –2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 –2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For Serving
- Tzatziki
- Lemon Wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Make the meatball mixture. Add the ground chicken, grated red onion, panko, parsley, dill, garlic, egg, salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Gently mix until just combined.
- Form the meatballs. Scoop and roll the chicken mixture into evenly sized meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear until lightly browned on several sides. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced red onion to the skillet and cook until softened and translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cinnamon. Cook for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the rice. Stir the basmati rice into the skillet and cook briefly to coat the grains in the seasoned oil. Stir in the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the broth. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet to release any browned bits. Spread the rice into an even layer.
- Add the meatballs. Nestle the browned chicken meatballs into the rice. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
- Bake. Cover the skillet tightly and transfer to the oven. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the rice is tender, the liquid has been absorbed and the meatballs register 165°F internally.
- Rest. Remove from the oven and let the skillet rest, still covered, for 5–10 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff the rice around the meatballs.
- Make the cucumber tomato salad. While the rice finishes cooking, combine the cucumber and tomatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice and honey. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley and dill, and toss until everything is well coated.
- Finish and serve. Spoon the cucumber tomato salad over the warm chicken meatballs and rice. Add generous dollops of tzatziki and finish with an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice.