Moroccan Spiced Chicken Meatballs Recipe

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These juicy, flavourful and moist Moroccan spiced chicken meatballs are absolutely delicious and perfect for a quick, healthy and easy dinner. If you’re a fan of Moroccan cuisine and spices, you will absolutely fall in love with these Moroccan chicken meatballs. Chicken meatballs may not be a traditionally Moroccan dish, but they work beautifully when spiced with paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and garlic, which are commonly found in the country’s cuisine.

The key to the chicken meatballs is to “toast” the spice blend first by heating it. The addition of Greek yogurt keeps these meatballs from drying out and taste delicious served with a preserved lemon and cumin yogurt dip. It’s the best way to bring out all of the vibrant flavor. I cook down some onions and garlic, then add the spice blend to perfume in the oil.

Whole-milk yogurt does double duty here: It’s used to make the meatballs moist and tender, and makes for a speedy sauce to serve with them. Serve the meatballs with couscous and a green vegetable for a flavorful weeknight dinner that’s well worth the effort.

DbD_Greek Chicken Meatballs w Cuccumber Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Ground Chicken: Don’t use ground chicken made with ultralean breasts; look for labels that show a mix of white and dark meat. Dark meat: ground dark turkey meat is my preference when making meatballs.
  • Preserved Lemon: No preserved lemon: you can use lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice instead. If you do have preserved lemons on hand, I highly suggest using it, because it’s delicious. I make them myself and store them in the fridge until I want to use them.
  • Spices: This is a vibrant, flavourful and complex spice blend found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. It’s comprised of many different spices adding to the complexity and flavour. If you’re looking for a packaged product to buy, definitely check out this brand.

Cooking Instructions

Making these Moroccan chicken meatballs at home is quite easy.

  1. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the shallots and cook until just starting to soften and turn brown, about four minutes.
  2. Add the spice blend and stir to combine, cooking for one minute. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to one minute.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the shallot mixture, Greek yogurt, parsley, panko, egg, salt and lemon zest.
  4. Heat the same large skillet over medium heat and add a small splash more of extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs and sear on each side for about 2 1/2 minutes, five minutes total, until browned. You may need to work in batches for browning.
  5. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and serve with the yogurt dip and any other toppings.

The meatballs come together really simply. They’re seared off in a skillet until crisp and golden, then roasted in the oven. I’m serving them on a bed of couscous (you could do any grain you’d like here) with a lemony parsley yogurt sauce over top. Some thinly shaved cucumbers, toasted pecans, and salty feta cheese are the finishing touches. With a good drizzle of olive oil over top at the end. It’s one of those dishes that’s approachable enough to make on a busy weeknight, yet exciting enough to serve at a dinner party. You’re going to love it.

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Yogurt Dip Preparation

  1. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
  2. Once hot, pour in the cumin seeds and toast until fragrant, stirring occasionally, about three to four minutes.
  3. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon, parsley and garlic.

Alternative Cooking Method

Oven baking: you can bake these meatballs in the oven without searing if you prefer. Bake at 400ºF for 12-14 minutes and then broil on high for six to eight minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Freezing Instructions

Freeze: you can freeze uncooked or cooked Moroccan chicken meatballs in a freezer safe container (or freezer safe ziploc bag) for up to three months.

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground chicken (not 100 percent breast meat)
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for frying
  • 1 teaspoon light brown or granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
  • 1 ⅓ cups plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon minced or grated garlic (about 4 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions:

  1. First, make the yogurt sauce: Combine 1 cup of the yogurt, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl. Mix well, and chill until ready to use.
  2. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the remaining ⅓ cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, chicken, panko, egg, parsley, olive oil, sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly, until incorporated. Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, form meatballs about 1½-inches in diameter, then place them on a plate or sheet pan until ready to use.
  3. In a large skillet, heat ⅛-inch olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the meatballs in batches, flipping occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. (If the meatballs begin browning too quickly or the oil begins smoking, lower the heat.) Transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.
  4. To serve, spread the yogurt sauce in an even layer on a flat platter. Arrange the meatballs on top, and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and the pine nuts, if using. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings):

  • 344 calories
  • 21 grams fat
  • 6 grams saturated fat
  • 0 grams trans fat
  • 9 grams monounsaturated fat
  • 5 grams polyunsaturated fat
  • 14 grams carbohydrates
  • 1 gram dietary fiber
  • 6 grams sugars
  • 26 grams protein
  • 549 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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tags: #Moroccan