Chicken Zucchini Meatballs Are the Answer to Your Garden Overflow

If your garden or farmers market haul has left you with more zucchini than you know what to do with, this chicken zucchini meatball recipe is here to help. Grated zucchini works its way into juicy, tender chicken meatballs without announcing itself, no mushy texture, no watery mess, just a sneaky way to use up that summer surplus while keeping dinner light.

These meatballs get a savory lift from crumbled feta, fresh dill and a little heat from minced jalapeño, then get a quick pan-sear until golden on the outside. Served over rice with a cool, creamy cucumber avocado salad and a generous scoop of tzatziki, it's the kind of meal that feels indulgent but comes together in well under an hour, perfect for a weeknight when it’s too hot to think about turning on the oven for long.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 medium zucchini, grated on a box grater (no need to press out excess moisture)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup minced yellow onion (or shallots)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (or parsley)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeño
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil for cooking

Cucumber Avocado Salad (optional)

• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1 large avocado, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, dill or mint
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine all meatball ingredients (ground chicken through black pepper) in a large bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix and mash the mixture together. Scoop and roll into 24 mini meatballs. If the meatballs are sticking while rolling, moisten your hands with a little water or olive oil.
2. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until golden, rotating to brown all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second batch, adding more oil as needed.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber avocado salad by combining all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.
4. Serve meatballs over white rice with cucumber avocado salad and a big scoop of tzatziki. Drizzle components with a little olive oil and garnish with extra fresh dill (optional) and cracked black pepper.

This recipe was originally published on Dishing Out Health.