Um, HELLO. Have you seen a extra vibrant meal? I imply, it’s at all times my objective to share stunning, vivid recipes with you that use recent, seasonal produce, however I needed to re-share this meal from final summer season that turned an instantaneous household favourite.
These unimaginable herby rooster meatball pitas are loaded up with a creamy, spicy do-it-yourself jalapeño tzatziki sauce, protein-packed rooster meatballs, tons of herbs, and a rainbow of crunchy veggies. They’re SO FUN and take simply half-hour to make for the proper summer season dinner.
I present you precisely make this meal on this Good Mood Food episode on YouTube, so remember to fireplace up the episode and assemble them proper alongside me! Your weeknight dinner is served.
Everything you’ll must make these herby rooster meatball pitas
Fresh herbs and veggies are the important thing to meatballs themselves and the entire scrumptious toppings in these pitas. Oh, and prepare to do backflips for that scrumptious jalapeño tzatziki. Here’s what you’ll want:
- For the jalapeño tzatziki sauce: I truly first created and shared my authentic tzatziki sauce again in 2019 and I nonetheless put it on actually all the things. It’s recent, creamy, and has a protein punch due to Greek yogurt. You’ll make the sauce as is with the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, salt & pepper, however we’re additionally including some diced jalapeño for a kick of warmth!
- Herbs: for those who develop recent herbs in your backyard, this recipe is ideal for you. We’re including parsley, mint, and dill proper into the meatball combination, plus some dried oregano.
- Meatball combination: together with the herbs, the meatballs are made with lean floor rooster (I like to recommend no leaner than 93%), an egg, panko bread crumbs, diced crimson onion & jalapeño, lemon zest, salt & pepper.
- For assembling: select your favourite pita bread, then add fantastic toppings like sliced cucumber, tomato, uncooked or pickled crimson onions, additional dill, and crumbled feta cheese.
Make these meatball pitas your individual
Are pitas a sandwich? Either approach, these are simply as straightforward to customise as your favourite sandwich. Here’s what I can advocate:
- Swap your protein: be happy to make use of lean floor turkey, and even beef or lamb for those who’d like.
- Choose your spice degree: for those who LOVE spicy food like I do, maintain the seeds within the jalapeños all through the recipe, and contemplate topping with my do-it-yourself pickled jalapeños! If you’re serving kiddos or anybody who’s delicate to spice, I like to recommend eradicating the seeds or omitting the jalapeños altogether.
- Pick your bread: I’m obsessive about eating this meal as an open-faced pita or a pita pocket, however you may additionally serve all the things in a wrap (gluten-free for those who’d like) and even on a mattress of rice or arugula. The choices are limitless! If you need to maintain this recipe gluten-free, you’ll additionally need to use gluten free bread crumbs.
Can I take advantage of a distinct sauce?
Sure! If you’re not into tzatziki or are in search of a dairy-free (DF) possibility, attempt certainly one of these:
The best technique to roll meatballs
I at all times simply use my palms to type the meatballs for ease and to maintain them good and spherical. When doing so, I like to recommend wetting your palms or coating them with a little bit olive oil or nonstick cooking spray to forestall the meatball combination from sticking.
Tips for prepping this meal forward of time
There are just a few straightforward methods it can save you time and prep these herby rooster meatball pitas forward of time:
- Make the tzatziki sauce. Feel free to start by mixing collectively the tzatziki sauce and storing it in an hermetic container within the fridge 1-2 days forward of time.
- Prep the meatballs. You can both roll the meatballs up and retailer them uncooked in an hermetic container within the fridge earlier than cooking them 1-2 days later, OR you’ll be able to totally pan fry or bake the meatballs forward of time, retailer them within the fridge, and assemble the pitas 1-2 days later.
- Chop your veggies. Like with many recipes, you’ll be able to pre-chop a number of your produce forward of time and retailer it in hermetic containers within the fridge for 1-2 days.
Freeze the meatballs for later
If you’re not utilizing the entire meatballs to make the pitas immediately, you’ll be able to simply freeze them to make use of later:
- Cook first, then freeze: place your cooked meatballs in a freezer-safe, airtight container or bag and freeze them for as much as 3 months. When you’re able to get pleasure from, let the meatballs thaw within the fridge for just a few hours or in a single day, after which reheat them in a pan on the stovetop till they’re good and heat earlier than assembling your pitas.
- Freeze earlier than baking: you may as well freeze these meatballs earlier than cooking them! Form your meatballs as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them within the freezer for 1-2 hours. Then, switch your frozen meatballs to an hermetic, freezer-friendly bag or container and place them within the freezer for as much as 3 months. To thaw them, merely place them within the fridge for just a few hours or in a single day after which prepare dinner them as directed within the recipe.
More dinner recipes you’ll love
Get all of my dinner recipes right here!
I hope you’re keen on these herby rooster meatball pitas! If you make them remember to go away a remark and a score so I understand how you favored them. Enjoy, xo!
Good Mood Food Episode 9
The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Herby Chicken Meatball Pitas with Jalapeño Tzatziki
Absolutely scrumptious herby rooster meatball pitas piled high with flavorful, protein-packed rooster meatballs, recent veggies, and a creamy do-it-yourself jalapeño tzatziki sauce. This straightforward, nourishing dinner comes collectively in half-hour and is the proper stability of savory, spicy, and recent.
Ingredients
- For the jalapeño tzatziki sauce:
- 1 recipe for tzatziki sauce
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced (take away seeds in case you are warmth delicate)*
- For the meatballs:
- 1 pound lean floor rooster or turkey (round 93% lean is greatest)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely diced crimson onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or sub ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons chopped recent parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped recent mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped recent dill (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- For meeting:
- 4 to eight items of pita bread, relying on the way you need to serve them
- 4 mini Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 2 roma tomatoes, sliced
- ½ crimson onion, thinly sliced or pickled crimson onion
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Extra recent dill
Instructions
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Make jalapeno tzatziki sauce: While the meatballs prepare dinner, make your jalapeno tzatziki sauce by combining all elements for tzatziki sauce and diced jalapeno in a medium bowl. Set apart or cowl and place within the fridge till able to serve. This can be made 1 to 2 days forward of time.
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Prepare the meatballs: Fill a small bowl with water and place it on the counter.
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In a big bowl, add the bottom rooster, egg, panko, crimson onion, garlic, jalapeno, parsley, mint, dill, oregano, lemon zest, salt and black pepper. Use clear palms to combine till nicely mixed; keep away from overmixing in any other case the meatballs will change into powerful. Form into 16 golf ball sized meatballs, dipping your palms in water between every meatball to forestall sticking.
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To pan-fry the meatball (my choice for extra taste!): In a big, deep nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium warmth. Once the oil is scorching, add the meatballs, leaving about ½ inch between every (you could want to do that in batches, relying on what number of meatballs you’ll be able to slot in your skillet with out overcrowding them), and brown on all sides till cooked by way of (a meat thermometer ought to register 165°F levels), 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs, including extra oil, if crucial.
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To bake the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a big baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the meatballs at the least an 1 inch aside on the parchment paper. Bake till a meat thermometer inserted into the meatball reads 165°F, 17 to 22 minutes.
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Assemble and serve: You can both slice your pita bread in half and open it to stuff them, or you should use a complete pita bread and deal with it like a taco. It is determined by how thick your pita bread is. Either approach, dollop jalapeno tzatziki sauce in or on every pitta, then add 2 to three meatballs, a layer of tomatoes, cucumbers and crimson onion, feta and dill, if desired. Top with a little bit extra jalapeno tzatziki, if desired, and luxuriate in!
Recipe Notes
See the complete publish for tips, tips & methods to customise your pitas!
Nutrition
Serving: 1pita (with 1 piece of pita bread, totally assembled)Calories: 535calCarbohydrates: 47.5gProtein: 38gFat: 21.2gSaturated Fat: 5.5gFiber: 2.7gSugar: 5.9g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This publish was initially revealed on June ninth, 2024, and republished on May twenty eighth, 2025.
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