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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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Watch the How-To Reel

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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horizontal photo of One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo

This post was originally published on February 19, 2020
4.21 from 1638 votes (1,344 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  2. 5 stars
    This was so delicious! Love all these flavours together. That whipped feta may have changed my life…thanks for the recipe. Love every recipe I try of yours! Keep posting please:)

    Reply

    1. Hey Kara,
      I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! I hope you have an awesome weekend:) xTieghan

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and it was sooooooo good. I didnt have orzo so I just cooked some bucatini and finished in the pan with garlic, lemon and dill. So delicious!!!!

    Reply

  6. 4 stars
    Very good, easy to make. I love dill so I added extra to everything! Used black olives too.

    Would make it again!

    Reply

  7. This recipe is great! It was a big hit with my family. I cooked the orzo in chicken broth instead of water bc I love pasta/rice cooked in broth, and I had extra that I needed to use. My kitchen smelled so good as I was making the meatballs. I will definitely make this again!!

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe. The pan I cooked the meatballs in got a little burnt so I just used another dish for the orzo and it worked out great. Excellent meal — so flavorful and relatively easy!

    Reply

    1. Hey Natalie,
      I’ve never tried this with linguini, I would recommend using a short cut pasta. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. 2 stars
    Hate to say this wasn’t a winner for me 1)The chicken meatballs came out dry & had mild flavor. 2)The vinaigrette was actually kind of gross, I think using the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes is what ruined it. 3)The whipped feta just tasted like salty, bitter Greek yogurt…& I love feta and any kind of Tzatziki sauce. I’ve been making HBH recipes once a week but this one wasn’t my favorite, that’s for sure!

    Reply

    1. Hey McKaela,
      I am so sorry to hear you did not enjoy the recipe. Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan

      Reply

  13. 3 stars
    Really good recipe! I didn’t use the lemons and it was still really tasty. The only thing I didn’t love is that the meatballs are straight chicken breast; they’re a little too firm/dry. I will make this again but with some milk/panko to soften them up. But overall delicious flavors!

    Reply

  14. 5 stars
    This was great! And I got everything for the recipe at Trader Joe’s! If I even forgot to toast the orzo and nothing terrible happened. If I was is a real hurry I might just serve chunks of feta on the side. I used my steel skillet (not the cast iron). Yum! So easy/fancy!

    Reply

  15. This looks wonderful – making tonight since I have ground chicken on hand to use up!

    I saw that this serves 6 – are there adjustments you’d make to serve 4? How many meatballs per serving do you recommend? Thanks !

    Reply

    1. Hey Jenna,
      I would just follow the recipe as is for 4 people:) I hope you love the dish. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply