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Za’atar Chicken Meatballs with Hemp Seeds (Gluten-Free)

April 6, 2023 (Last Updated: August 26, 2023)

Za’atar and chicken is a match made in heaven, and these gluten-free za’atar chicken meatballs with hemp seeds are a healthy and easy way to add this combination to your diet!

Made with ground chicken, aromatic Za’atar seasoning, crunchy hemp seeds, and lots of herbs, these meatballs are not only packed with flavor but are also low-carb and high in protein and omega-3s.

Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, meal prep, or even a party appetizer, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite. Plus, it’s so easy to make and can be customized to your liking.

Why we love these za’atar chicken meatballs

Chicken goes very well with za’atar. And my homemade za’atar seasoning blend is so flavorful it will make these chicken meatballs taste incredible. Here are a few things I love about this recipe:

  • It’s so easy to make; it takes a few minutes to mix the ingredients and about 8 minutes to cook them.
  • They are so flavorful; the za’atar blend, the fresh and dry herbs, the shallot and garlic, and the nuts; all add so much depth of flavor with so little effort.
  • A small quantity of chicken will go a long way. Pasture-raised chicken can be hard to find and expensive. You can’t make too many chicken meatballs with one pound of ground chicken. But if you add hemp seeds, nuts, lots of herbs, and aromatics, you suddenly have much more to work with and add so much more nutrition.
  • They are healthy: low-carb, packed with protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, and polyphenols.
  • They are versatile: have them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as an appetizer or main dish, with sauce or without sauce. We love them with tahini sauce and a salad.
Za'atar chicken meatballs on a serving  plate

Why za’atar?

I love za’atar! I discovered this Middle Eastern spice blend when I moved to Dubai in 2008, and I have enjoyed it almost every day for eight years. It’s that good!

When I left, I wanted to recreate a za’atar seasoning that I could use at home. Yes, you can buy a za’atar spice blend, but you can also make it at home. Here is my favorite recipe if you decide to make it at home:

If not, you can buy za’atar seasoning, but they will have slightly different (and fewer) ingredients. Just make sure there are no fillers, preservatives, or oils added. Your best bet is to make it at home. It’s super easy; you make a bigger batch at once and have it for a few months.

It can be used as a dip mixed with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled on salads and sandwiches, to season bread, to add to yogurt, hummus, or all kind of chicken and meat.

The ingredients of my homemade za’atar seasoning are toasted sesame seeds, thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, sumac, and salt.

Za'atar seasoning in a jar
Homemade Za’atar Seasoning

Ingredients to make these chicken meatballs with za’atar

Of course, to make this recipe, you will need ground chicken. This is a health site, so my advice regarding chicken is to get pasture-raised chicken that has not been fed corn, soy, or oats.

You can read more about raising chickens from this interview with a farmer in Dallas who has figured out how to raise chickens on pasture and feed them a lectin-light feed (they deliver in the US):

You could also use ground turkey to make these meatballs.

Why hemp seeds, you wonder? Hemp is a sustainable crop and a very nutritious seed, rich in protein and healthy fats, and allergen friendly. Hemp protein is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that the human body needs but cannot produce.

For this reason, hemp has started to be used as a filler in meat products: salami, sausages, and meatballs, especially in Europe. The United States will surely follow as another way to reduce animal protein consumption.

I also add walnuts or pistachios for more healthy fats and a little crunch.

If you don’t have sage, you can skip it but don’t skip the mint. I love the mint flavors combined with za’atar.

Here is the complete list of ingredients:

  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons raw pistachios or walnuts (a small handful)
  • 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dry parsley
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt (my za’atar has some salt in it)
  • a small handful of fresh mint
  • about 7 sage leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon black garlic granules (if you can’t find add one extra garlic clove)
  • 1 lb / 400 grams ground chicken (pasture-raised)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for the frying pan
The ingredients for the za'atar chicken meatballs

How to make the chicken meatballs with za’atar and hemp

  • Add all the ingredients, except for the chicken and olive oil, to a food processor, and mix until all the ingredients are ground and well combined.
  • Add the food processor content to a large bowl, add chicken and olive oil, and mix with clean hands until everything is well combined.
  • Form small balls, using one tablespoon of the mixture for each ball.
All the ingredients for the za'atar chicken meatballs in a food processor
The food processor
The ingredients have been processed in the food processor

The food processor content is in a mixing bowl, and the ground chicken has been added
The paste has been shaped into small balls
Shallow frying the za'atar chicken meatballs

  • Heat a large skillet on medium heat, with enough oil to cover the bottom. It’s shallow frying, so you don’t have to add too much, but the quantity depends on the skillet size you are using.
  • Arrange the balls in the pan one by one, with a little space in between, and let them cook on one side for about 3 minutes. They’ll get golden brown and will release easily when they are ready. Turn them on the other side, pressing ever so slightly so they don’t roll back. Let them cook for another 3 minutes or so, then toss them around the pan so they get golden on all sides for about two more minutes. In total, it will take about 8 minutes on medium heat. In my 10-inch All-Clad saute pan (3 Qt), I can cook them in two batches.

NOTE on the cooking method. While I sometimes make meatballs in the oven, I prefer to shallow fry these. They are ready super fast, you don’t need to heat the oven, and they get that golden crust (and the taste that comes with it). I only use a small quantity of extra virgin olive oil, which is super heat stable and medium cooking temperature.

A meatball cut in half

How to serve these za’atar chicken meatballs

One of the reasons I love these meatballs is that they are so versatile. You can have them as protein for lunch or dinner, home or lunch box. They make great meal prep items, so make a big batch and freeze. They can be easily rewarmed in the oven.

Or serve them as an appetizer with tahini sauce. You can check out this recipe for tahini sauce or simply mix tahini (sesame paste) with lemon juice and cold water until you get a creamy consistency. I add the juice of one lemon to 4 tablespoons of tahini and a few tablespoons of water.

You can also add minced garlic, but for this one, I prefer to leave it out, as there are already a lot of flavors in the meatballs.

Add some za’atar seasoning and olive oil, and you have a delicious dipping sauce that goes well with these chicken meatballs.

These meatballs will also pair well with our millet and hemp seed tabbouleh.

Za'atar chicken meatballs served with a tahini sauce
Za’atar Chicken Meatballs with Tahini Sauce

For more meals using za’atar seasoning, try these recipes:

I hope you love this za’atar chicken recipe and that I inspired you to use more za’atar in your cooking.

*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.

Za'atar Chicken Meatballs with Hemp Seeds (Gluten-Free)

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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By Claudia Curici, Health Coach Serves: yield 30 balls
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Za'atar and chicken is a match made in heaven, and these gluten-free za'atar chicken meatballs with hemp seeds are a healthy and easy way to add this combination to your diet! Made with ground chicken, aromatic Za'atar seasoning, crunchy hemp seeds, and lots of herbs, these meatballs are not only packed with flavor but are also low-carb, and high in protein and omega-3s. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, meal prep, or even a party appetizer, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite. Plus, it's so easy to make and can be customized to your liking.

Ingredients

  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons raw pistachios or walnuts (a small handful)
  • 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dry parsley
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt (my za'atar has some salt in it)
  • a small handful of fresh mint
  • about 7 sage leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon black garlic granules (if you can't find add one extra garlic clove)
  • 1 lb / 400 grams ground chicken (pasture-raised)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for the frying pan

Instructions

1

Add all the ingredients, except for the chicken and olive oil, to a food processor, and mix until all the ingredients are combined.

2

Add the food processor content to a mixing bowl, add the ground chicken and the olive oil and mix with clean hands until everything is well combined.

3

Form small balls, using one tablespoon of the mixture for each ball.

4

Heat a large skillet on medium heat, with enough oil to cover the bottom. It's shallow frying, so you don't have to add too much, but the quantity depends on the skillet size you are using.

5

Arrange the balls in the pan one by one, and let them cook on one side for about 3 minutes. They'll get golden brown and will release easily when they are ready. Turn them on the other side, pressing ever so slightly so they don't roll back. Let them cook for another 3 minutes or so, then toss them around the pan so they get golden on all sides for about two more minutes. In total, it will take about 8 minutes on medium heat.

Notes

I make my own za'atar seasoning, but if you don't want to make it, you can buy one (homemade is much better, though!). You can skip the sage leaves and the black garlic if you can't find them. If the za'atar you use doesn't have salt, use an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt. This quantity makes about 28-30 chicken meatballs (1 tablespoon each).

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