This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These spanakopita meatballs take inspiration from the spinach-and-feta family favourite of spanakopita, minus the phyllo pastry. Spinach feta chicken meatballs are everything I love about Greek-inspired flavors in shareable bite-size form. Fresh herbs, salty feta, spinach, garlic, and lemon give these chicken meatballs their bright, savory bite. These baked meatballs are made for passing around, whether you’re putting together a mezze-style spread or serving up an easy dinner.
Recipe Summary
Spinach feta chicken meatballs are baked with wilted spinach, herbs, green onion, and garlic. They bring the salty, herby flavor profile associated with spanakopita to a chicken-meatball format. Serve them warm with lemon wedges and tzatziki as an appetizer or easy meal.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
Why You’ll Love These Spinach Feta Chicken Meatballs
Fresh-herb flavor in every bite
A good Greek-inspired recipe should let the herbs shine, and these meatballs are built around that idea. Dill, mint, parsley, green onion, and garlic create that fresh, savory flavor that feel much more exciting than a standard chicken meatball.
Baked and platter-ready
These baked chicken meatballs are made for a simple sheet-pan setup and yield 16 large meatballs, making them perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Bright next to creamy
The combination of warm, herby meatballs with lemon wedges and tzatziki is one of the best pairings. The lemon cuts through the richness of the feta, while tzatziki adds that creamy contrast. Add these to a table with pita and cabbage salad (find recipes below).
Inspired by a Greek fav
These meatballs celebrate the spinach-and-feta flavor that many people associate with spanakopita, while staying true to what they are: a baked chicken meatball. Spanakopita is a traditional Greek pastry made with phyllo and a spinach filling, and this recipe brings those beloved flavors into a different format.
The Spanakopita-Inspired Flavor Profile
The herbs, feta, spinach, and garlic are the flavor family that makes spanakopita so recognizable. These spanakopita meatballs are a celebration of the Greek-inspired flavors that I love.
My favorite part of this flavor combination is that the herbs actually get to shine! The herbs, green onion, and garlic bring freshness and depth, instead of letting the recipe taste like a basic chicken meatball with spinach added in (not that there is anything wrong with that, but it’s not true to my Greek roots!). Every ingredient in these meatballs has a purpose, and together they create something delicious.
These are also such a fun addition to a mezze spread. They bring that comforting element that pairs so well with fresh dips, breads, and salads.
Tips for Tender Baked Chicken Meatballs
These spinach feta meatballs are simple, but a couple of small details make a big difference in getting that perfect texture.
Cook the spinach until the moisture is gone
Spinach naturally contains a lot of water, and that extra moisture can make meatballs loose and difficult to form. Cooking the spinach until the moisture is gone helps keep the mixture balanced and gives you meatballs that hold together beautifully.
Let the spinach cool for a few minutes before mixing it with the chicken mixture so everything combines properly.
Keep the mixture gently combined
When making chicken meatballs, there’s no need to overwork the mixture. Stir just until the ingredients are combined. Mix lightly so the chicken stays tender instead of dense.
Use the tested doneness cue
The finished meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a thermometer and you won’t have to guess.
How to Serve Them
These meatballs are made to be served warm with simple sides. Arrange them on a platter with lemon wedges for squeezing and a bowl of tzatziki for dipping. The combination of citrus, creamy dip, feta, and fresh herbs makes every bite feel like an explosion in your mouth!
Make this into a meal! Serve with Fluffy Greek Pita and/or my Greek Cabbage Salad.
More Meatball Recipes to Try
If you love these Greek-inspired meatballs, try my Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs or my Chicken & Feta Meatballs.
FAQs
No. These chicken meatballs are inspired by the spinach, feta, garlic, and fresh-herb flavor profile many people love in spanakopita. Traditional spanakopita is a Greek pastry made with phyllo and a spinach filling, while this recipe uses those familiar flavors in a baked chicken-meatball format.
Cooking the spinach until no moisture is left keeps extra water out of the chicken mixture. That matters because wet spinach can make meatballs loose and harder to form. Let the spinach cool for a few minutes before combining it with the remaining ingredients.
Bake the meatballs at 400°F for 22 to 26 minutes, then check the center with an instant-read thermometer. They are cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
You can make these chicken meatballs your own, but I’ve only tested them following the recipe below. Some easy substitutions are swapping the herbs or using different amounts based on what you have. You can also swap the ground chicken with ground turkey.
Save this recipe for later
Ingredients
- 2 cups roughly chopped spinach
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 sprigs green onion, chopped (both green and white parts)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
- 450 grams (1 lb) ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Tzatziki for serving
Instructions
Start Cooking- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a medium frying pan or skillet, over medium-low heat, add the chopped spinach and wilt until there is no moisture left. Set the wilted spinach aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Once the spinach has cooled for a few minutes, add the wilted spinach to a medium bowl along with the chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh mint, chopped fresh parsley, chopped green onions, pressed garlic, ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, crumbled feta cheese, salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir until combined.
- Once combined, scoop about 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) at a time and form into meatballs – you’ll get about 16 meatballs. Place the formed meatballs onto the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165F. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing and tzatziki for dipping.
Notes
- Make this into a meal! Serve with Fluffy Greek Pita Bread and Greek Cabbage Salad
- If you love these meatballs, try our Sheet Pan Baked Greek Meatballs & Lemon Potatoes
Be the first to discuss this recipe.