Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki

I bought some ground chicken on sale a few months ago, put it in the freezer and have been trying to decide what to do with it since. I've seen a lot of great recipes for gyros with lamb meatballs and decided to do it with chicken. I've never made any sort of meatball, but these turned out to be amazing. The hot, crispy meatballs went well with the light and fresh tzatziki.

I was concerned about the chicken being bland, so I studded the

meatballs with feta and fresh mint.

The meatballs got nice and golden and the feta was perfectly melted

after about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

I love Greek yogurt, and fresh tzatziki is quite simple.

The whole wheat pita, meatballs, tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions had the right balance of light and bold flavors.

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

6 oz. plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup grated, peeled, seeded cucumber

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

splash of white wine

salt, to taste

fresh pepper, to taste

Method:

After grating the cucumber, place it in a paper towel and squeeze out excess moisture. The white wine isn't necessary but adds a nice tangy quality. After mixing, allow tzatziki to sit in the fridge for at least an hour for best flavor.

Notes:

The yogurt needs to be plain Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is the same as regular yogurt, but it has been strained. The result: a very thick, creamy, high-protein concoction. I find mine in the organic section of the grocery store, but your mileage may vary.

Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

2/3 cup italian bread crumbs

4 cloves of garlic, pressed

2 tbsps. olive oil

1 egg, beaten

sea salt, to taste

fresh pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. herbes de provence

1 tbsp. fresh chopped mint

2 Tbsps. feta

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients together with hands until homogenous. Shape mixture into balls (about the size of golf balls). Push a bit of feta into the center and around the edges of each meatball. Place the balls into the fridge for at least 30 minutes so they can firm up. Place balls a few inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and cook for around 30 minutes when meatballs are cooked through and golden on the outside.