Description

These Chicken Harissa Meatballs are perfectly juicy and full of flavor! Pair them with lemon rice, roasted vegetables, and a homemade lemon herb tahini sauce, they make for a hearty meal that’s also perfect for meal prep. You’re going to love these!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs or blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon greek yogurt
2 tablespoons harissa paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely diced shallot
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1 teaspoon lemon zest
oil, for cooking

For the Bowls

Additional Topping Options for Serving

diced cucumber and tomato
chopped romaine
fresh dill and mint
crumbled feta
hummus and tzatziki sauce
lemon

Instructions

Add the meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
Next, use a cookie dough scoop to scoop out the chicken mixture and use your hands to form into meatballs.
When the meatballs are formed, heat a large skillet over medium heat and then add a tablespoon of oil. Next add the meatballs to the hot skillet and cook for roughly 3-4 minutes per side until browned and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
Assemble the Bowls: If you’re building a bowl, start with a bed of emon rice and then add roasted vegetables, meatballs, and any other desired toppings. Finish the bowls with a drizzle of lemon herb tahini sauce.

Notes

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Leftovers

Meatballs – store any leftover harissa chicken meatballs in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Rice, veggies, and dressing – if you’re making bowls, cook the rice and veggies, and prepare the dressing. Then, store all the components in separate airtight containers.

Chop and prep the toppings – that way, all you have to do is reheat the meatballs, rice, and veggies, and build your bowl! I recommend doing this 1 to 2 days ahead of time to prevent any fresh ingredients from becoming soggy.

Freezing the Meatballs

Freeze the meatball mixture – make the meatball mixture and then transfer it to a freezer-safe storage bag. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag and then place the meat mixture in the freezer. When you’re ready to make a fresh batch of meatballs, remove the mixture from the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge before rolling the meatballs and cooking.

Cook the meatballs and then freeze – cook the meatballs, and then let them come to a complete cool before transferring to a freezer-safe storage container and then transferring to the freezer.

Reheat from frozen – to reheat the meatballs from frozen, place them in an ovenproof pan or baking dish and cover with foil. Bake the meatballs at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until completely warmed through. Alternatively, you can let the meatballs defrost in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave.