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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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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
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.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, sliced, plus 3-4 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, and reserve the oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- arugula and fresh herbs, for serving
Whipped Feta
- 8 ounces feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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.
Oooookayy, this was just spot on ?
All the components, like whipped feta, the balsamic vinaigrette where just perfect. The whole combo was a fabulous dinner ✨ thank you!
Hi Julie,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing your review!? xT
This recipe was so easy but presented as a much more complex dish.
Hi Vanessa,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was awesome! I skipped the whipped feta and drizzle and just sprinkled feta on top – worked out great for us. I was confused in the recipe about how it was going to yield 15 meatballs for 6 people… but thankfully I was able to make 30 little meatballs from the 1 lb of ground chicken and that fed the six of us perfectly. I added an egg to the meatballs just to help them bind together and I accidentally added an extra clove of garlic. They were delicious. Oh and I made extra orzo and don’t regret that at all! Will make this again for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Kaitlyn,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Have to say…one of my least favorite recipes on this site. Nothing tasted great…it was all…ok. Just ok.
Hey Tammie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this two nights in a row. The first night I made it it took over an hour to do it and it was too much work. One ‘pot’, but I ended up using SO MANY DISHES. But great tasting. The next night I made it again but bought frozen meatballs (a meatball is a meatball), and did the orzo in a pan, added the vinaigrette at the end and dumped in some feta. Only took 20 minutes and way less mess.
Hi Rachel,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have the best week:) xT
Made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! I will be making it again for sure. My sister doesn’t eat yogurt or feta so left that out for her, but kept it in for me and my husband. Either way, we all loved it!
Hey Patrice,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! ? xx
My absolute favorite! The flavors are amazing! Will make this regularly! Thank you Tieghan for another hit!
Hi Linda,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
We loved this recipe! I thought I had orzo but didn’t, so I substituted basmati rice. It took a little longer but it was still so good! Definitely don’t skip the dressing and the whipped feta, they take two seconds and put this dish over the top.
Hey Kari,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Make this like every other week its so good and easy
Hey Petar,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! ☘️xx
Absolutely fabulous! The flavours are magical. Next dinner party this is what I’m serving! Thank you!
Hi Tracey,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
Can you use rice instead of orzo? I have a wheat allergy.
Hi Stephanie,
Yes, that will work for you, it’s just going to take longer to cook. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xTieghan
So yummy!! I wish I would have made more orzo for leftovers!
Hi Jennifer,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
Made it for the second time and even more delicious! This is my FAVORITE HBH recipe ❤️
Hi Emily,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
This was wonderful. I added some spinach and sun dried tomatoes to the orzo before putting meatballs back in skillet. Plethora of flavors!
Hey Karen,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
At first I thought the meatball part seemed a little bland (had to use dried dill instead of real), but once I put the three elements together it was INSANE. Prob the best recipe of yours I have made in a long time! We all loved it! Can’t skip the sun dried tomato part or creamy feta.
Hi Sarah,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. Have the best week:)) xT