Green Goddess Meatballs

Chicken meatballs get a serious upgrade with the fresh, herbaceous magic of green goddess sauce in this easy dinner. The sauce works double-duty and isn’t just for drizzling—it’s mixed right into the meatballs for an extra dose of flavor. If you’re not familiar, green goddess is a creamy, dreamy blend of fresh herbs (chervil or parsley, tarragon, and chives), mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, and anchovies. Instead of sour cream and anchovies, I went with Greek yogurt to keep with a Mediterranean theme, and I swapped the anchovies for a splash of fish sauce. It’s always in my pantry and my go-to substitute when recipes call for anchovies—a half teaspoon of fish sauce equals one minced anchovy fillet.

When it comes to forming meatballs, ground chicken can be sticky and soft, so I chill the mixture in the fridge to firm it up. When I’m ready to roll (pun intended), I spritz my hands with a little cooking spray before shaping the mixture.

I like to serve these meatballs over orzo for a Mediterranean-inspired meal. Toss the cooked orzo with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and some pepper to keep it simple. Want to sneak in some greens? Add baby spinach to the colander and drain the hot orzo over it—the residual heat wilts the spinach perfectly. They also work well as a salad topper or stuffed into a pita along with some arugula.

To get dinner on the table faster, you can prep the meatball mixture up to a day ahead, or even the morning of. The green goddess sauce holds up in the fridge for up to 5 days. Want to give future you a head start? Roll out the meatballs, freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag—they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4 days.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!