Spanikopita Chicken Meatballs

 

Guys, meatballs are kinda my thing.  As much as I love good old fashioned Italian-style meatballs in “gravy” (if you don’t call red sauce with meat gravy in Philly you just don’t belong here), the kind of meatballs I like to make are not what your Nonna might expect.  I’ve made meatballs that are stuffed with cheese, meatballs that taste like Chinese orange chicken, and most famously, my Raspberry Chipotle Meatballs– those bad boys won me a meatball contest at work last year.  Not kidding.  I even got a trophy!

Photo Cred: Krissy Iaci 

There are so many different types and so much you can do with meatballs.  This recipe that I’m sharing with you today was inspired by an appetizer dish from Rachael Ray.  Instead of serving them as an app, I updated the recipe a bit, added a serving of rice, and voila it was our dinner!

These Spanikopita chicken meatballs are so delish, and they are not bad for you at all!  They are jam packed with spinach and using ground chicken breast limits the fat in the meatballs too.  When I originally tried this recipe, I used real (whole fat) feta cheese, but I recommend if you’re trying to be “good” to use fat free or reduced fat feta.  The feta texture and flavor is still there, but won’t cost you as many calories (or points if you’re on Weight Watchers like me!).

Recipe Adapted from:  Rachael Ray 
Serves: 3 (18 meatballs total plus sauce)
WW Smart Points (with real feta): 7
WW Smart Points (with fat free feta):  3 (omg right)

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
• 2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (I use cheesecloth)
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese *see note*
• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning (I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute)
• 3/4 cup Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons, cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons, coriander
• Salt

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This recipe is

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