Lebanese Chicken Meatballs

5 from 9 votes

Lebanese Chicken Meatballs with zucchini, tahini, and warm spices, served over a fresh herb salad with a tangy sumac and pomegranate dressing. Ready in 40 minutes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Dinner

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Greek

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 medium zucchini grated
1 pound ground chicken dark meat preferred
⅓ cup scallions thinly sliced
⅓ cup mint finely chopped
¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons tahini
½ cup panko bread crumbs plus more as needed

For the Salad:

3 heads baby romaine lettuce
4 green onions thinly sliced
4 Persian cucumbers sliced
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup fresh parsley

For the Sumac Dressing:

4 teaspoons ground sumac soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 15 minutes
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 clovse garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

For the Meatballs:

Place the grated zucchini in a bowl, toss with ½ teaspoon of the salt, and let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
In a large bowl, combine the squeezed zucchini, ground chicken, scallions, mint, cilantro, garlic, cumin, coriander, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and tahini. Mix until evenly combined. If the mixture feels too wet to hold its shape, add ½ cup of panko and mix again, adding up to 1 cup total as needed.
Divide the mixture and roll into meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, cook the meatballs, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

For the Salad:

In a large bowl, combine the baby gem lettuce, green onions, cucumbers, mint, and parsley. Toss gently to combine.

For the Dressing:

In a medium bowl, combine the soaked sumac and its soaking water, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic, and red wine vinegar. Whisk together, then slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season with salt to taste

Assemble

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Divide the salad among plates and top each with several warm meatballs. Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side.

Notes

Squeeze the zucchini well. Removing moisture is critical to avoid loose meatballs.
Use fresh herbs. Mint + cilantro define the flavor—dried won’t hit the same.
Adjust breadcrumbs as needed. The mixture should hold together but stay tender.
Cook over medium-high heat. You want browning + quick cook-through.
Don’t overwork the mixture. Keeps them light instead of dense.
Sumac is sometimes difficult to find in the market. I order it every few months online, so I never run out!
Serve these over pasta if you aren't in the mood for salad.

Nutrition