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One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo with lemony whipped feta and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. The perfect weeknight dinner…simple, hearty, and delicious! Pan-seared Greek seasoned chicken meatballs, cooked together with lemon butter orzo pasta for a complete dinner made in just one skillet. Serve everything over creamy, salty whipped feta cheese. Truly one of those dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but fancy and unique enough to serve to guests as well.

overhead photo of One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo

You guys, this recipe? It’s one of my favorites of the week. Yes, I say that often, but I honestly mean it each time I say it.

I’m not sure if I mentioned or not, but my older brother Creighton was recently in town visiting. Creighton loves food and he is one of my favorite brothers to be able to cook for. The one thing he really loves? Any kind of meatball. The other thing he really loves? Any kind of Greek food.

Naturally, I put the two together and got this colorful bowl of crispy chicken meatballs, buttery orzo, and salty whipped feta cheese. There’s a lot happening with this recipe, but it’s worth the extra time. And my oh gosh, every bite is truly so delicious. Bonus? It’s all pretty healthy, and simple too.

Greek Meatballs on plate after cooking

To make this simple skillet dinner…

Start with the meatballs. I seasoned the ground chicken with shallots, garlic, smoked paprika, and plenty of fresh oregano, then rolled into balls and done. Typically when I make meatballs I keep the mix very simple and opt out of using any kind of egg or breadcrumb. I know this is a little controversial, but I really don’t find the egg or breadcrumbs to be needed, especially with a chicken meatball.

Once the meatballs are formed, the rest is pretty simple. You’ll pan cook the meatballs until crisp on the outside and cooked through inside. This really only takes a few minutes, so the process is quick. Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the skillet, then add in a couple of pats of butter and fresh lemon slices. Allow the lemons to caramelize, then toss in dry orzo pasta and some garlic.

Now stop and smell the wonderful smell of garlicky, lemony butter coming from your skillet. It’s very, very good. Let the orzo and garlic cook until lightly golden. Now pour in some water and boil the orzo until just perfectly al dente. Stir in some salty green olives and a handful of fresh dill. Toss the meatballs back in.

And now you’re done. Well, kind of, but not quite…

sun-dried tomato vinaigrette in bowl

Let’s talk about the vinaigrette + that whipped feta.

While the orzo is cooking mix up a quick vinaigrette with some sun-dried tomatoes and the olive oil left in the tomato jar. Add in balsamic vinegar and a squeeze of lemon. This is your super simple tomato vinaigrette.

Now, the feta. Is this necessary? No, absolutely not. But do you need this? Yes, you absolutely do.

First things first, the feta is easy. If you have a food processor, all you do is whip it with olive oil until creamy. It takes just a few minutes and is worth every bit of extra effort…and even the extra dish to wash. Please trust me on this. Once the warm orzo and meatballs touch the creamy feta, it immediately begins to melt into everything creating a creamy, delicious “sauce”.

It’s the perfect amount of salty, creaminess to balance out all the savory flavors and crispy meatballs.

overhead close up photo of One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo

Finish it up.

Once you have everything all together, spread the feta out, top with orzo, and then the meatballs. Add baby arugula and fresh herbs, then spoon over that tangy vinaigrette.

DONE. It’s not my simplest skillet dinner, but it sure is GOOD. As I said, the feta melts into the orzo and meatballs making everything creamy, but perfectly salty too. It’s the perfect marriage of flavors, crispiness, and creaminess.

It’s fresh, vibrant, full of vegetables, but yet so cozy too. Perfect for these winter days that have us craving a pop of fresh color!

My only recommendation? Serve this dish with some kind of pita. It could be garlic naan, homemade pita, or something from the store. Either way, add some bread. It’s ideal for scooping up all the feta and sauces from this dish.

Delicious.

overhead photo of One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo and bite taken out of meatball

Looking for other Mediterranean inspired recipes? Try these!

One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo.

Greek Lamb Meatballs with Avocado Goddess Sauce

Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup

Lastly, if you make this one skillet Greek meatballs and lemon butter orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Watch the How To Video:

One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo with Whipped Feta

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 563 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Whipped Feta

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Add the chicken, shallot, 1 clove garlic, oregano, paprika, and a pinch of red pepper, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 14-15 meatballs).
    2. Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add the meatballs and sear until crisp and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Transfer to a plate.
    3. To the same skillet, add the butter and lemon slices. Sear the lemon until golden on each side, about 1 minute. Remove the lemon from the pan and add to the plate with the meatballs. To the same skillet, add 1 clove garlic and the orzo. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the orzo toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the 2 1/2 cups water and 1-2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring often, until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the olives and dill. Slide the meatballs back into the skillet and cook until warmed through.
    4. Meanwhile, make the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the balsamic vinegar until combined. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon dill, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
    5. To make the feta. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. The feta can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    6. To serve, spread the feta onto plates and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Add the orzo, seared lemons, and meatballs. Sprinkle on some greens and herbs. Enjoy!

Notes

Whipped Feta: if you prefer you can just crumble the feta cheese over the meatballs instead of whipping it. 
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Comments

  1. I am going to try this tonight, but I don’t have sundried tomatoes…. Any suggestions for a good substitution?

    Reply

    1. Hey Tara,
      Olives would also be great to use! I hope you love this recipe. Please let me know if you give it a try! xx

      Reply

    1. Hi there,
      I would replace the dill with another herb that you enjoy. For the olives, capers would be great! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Delicious!
    I was craving meatballs and this recipe it the right spot! I used what I had on hand so used pork and pearl quinoa. Will had it to my regular meat plans

    Reply

    1. Hey Genevieve,
      Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan

      Reply

  4. 2 stars
    This recipe lacks a lot of flavor. The orzo and meatballs are both pretty bland and under spiced. Most of the flavor comes from the vinaigrette and feta, but it’s unfortunate this dish has four separate parts just to make it decently good

    Reply

      1. What’s the point of having ratings on recipes if they’re not honest? HBH has plenty of good recipes, doesn’t mean they all need to be rated the same.

        Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Absolutely incredible! I subbed ground turkey instead of chicken because my supermarket was out. It was so delicious! I’m trying to make food at home more to save money and I didn’t know where to start before finding your page. Thank you for teaching me to love cooking!

    Reply

    1. Hi Savannah,
      Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xx

      Reply

  6. 4 stars
    Made these this week for a little dinner party. The meal was absolutely delicious, and everyone loved it. But to prevent kitchen chaos when hosting, I made the meatballs, vinaigrette and whipped feta the day before. In the hour before guests arrived, I cooked the meatballs and covered with foil. I could enjoy cocktail hour because the only thing I had left to do was make the orzo and plate it all. I would definitely make this again!

    Reply

  8. So good and easy. A great recipe when hosting because all of the elements make it look and taste impressive without spending hours in the kitchen. Will make again for sure.

    Reply

    1. Hey Alex,
      Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan

      Reply

  9. 5 stars
    This is AMAZING.
    I’ve made with chicken and turkey(because the store was out of ground chicken)
    Both times it was so delicious.
    I will make this again and again and I’ve shared with SO many friends and family.

    Reply

    1. Hey April,
      Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am glad to hear that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    These are amazing but I think I did something wrong. My meatballs did not hold together. Is there a trick? I’ve never had an issue before but they usually have egg or more fat than these so hoping you can help. If I can’t nail it than I’ll just make this with the mix cooked instead of formed into balls because the flavor was truly lovely but hoping to figure out where I went wrong so I can make it as intended. Thank you for the beautiful recipe!!! So excited for the new book ?

    Reply

    1. Hey Marianne,
      Happy Friday!! Love hearing that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! So sorry to hear about the meatballs! It usually helps if they are really cold to hold together, you can also add an egg next time if that works well for you. xxT

      Reply

      1. Thanks Tieghan

        I bet it was the temperature than. Most of it meatball recipe benefit from being closer to room temperature so it wasn’t straight out of the refrigerator. I’ll try keeping it chilled and maybe resting them in the fridge after rolling before trying the egg.

        Thank you so much!!

        Reply

    1. Hey Lisa,
      You should be able to follow this recipe as is! I hope you love it, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. Wow! Unbelievably delicious. I added chicken stock instead of water. That was absolutely the right call. Will make it with ground lamb next time. I was really nervous about the whipped feta. I could eat it with a spoon. Absolutely make the whipped feta. It is amazing! Thank you for this amazing dish.

    Reply

    1. Hey Marion,
      Wonderful!! I am so so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks a bunch for making it! xT

      Reply

  13. 5 stars
    What unique flavors together! I made this tonight and loved it. I didn’t have dill so substituted dried oregano. I served pita bread with this but next time will make the naan! The sun-dried/balsamic dressing was exactly the right touch!

    Reply

  14. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband who had declared he didn’t like orzo (what?) absolutely loved it! Love following all your great recipes on Instagram.??

    Reply

    1. Hi Patricia,
      Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan

      Reply