These za’atar chicken meatballs are full of vibrant herbs, warm spices, and a little crunch from pistachios. Hemp hearts blend into the ground chicken, helping a modest amount of meat go further while making the meatballs satisfying and tender. They cook in about eight minutes in a skillet and are delicious with a simple tahini sauce, whether you serve them for dinner, pack them for lunch, or put them out as an appetizer.
Why I make these meatballs
I first discovered za’atar when I moved to Dubai in 2008. I enjoyed it almost every day during the eight years I lived there, and after leaving, I wanted a blend I could keep using in my own kitchen. Chicken and za’atar are such a good match: the herbs, sesame, and tangy sumac bring a lot of flavor to ground chicken.
These meatballs also let me make more of a smaller amount of chicken. Pasture-raised chicken can be expensive and hard to find, so I like mixing it with hemp hearts, nuts, herbs, shallot, and garlic. Every addition brings something to the recipe: texture, flavor, and nutritional value.
I was inspired to try hemp hearts in ground meat after seeing sausages, salamis, and other local meat products here in Denmark made with hemp. It’s grown locally and used as a filler and binder. I liked the idea and began experimenting with it in my own cooking.
Homemade za’atar makes a difference
My homemade za’atar blend contains toasted sesame seeds, thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, sumac, and salt. It gives these meatballs a layered flavor, and making a batch means I have plenty left for other meals. I use it with extra virgin olive oil as a dip, sprinkle it over salads, and add it to bread, yogurt, hummus, chicken, and meat.
Store-bought za’atar works here too. Blends vary, and many have fillers and oils I would personally not buy, so carefully check the ingredients.
Why hemp hearts?
Hemp hearts are hulled hemp seeds: the outer shell has been removed, leaving the soft center. Whole hemp seeds still have their firm outer shell (they have a dark green color), so they have a different texture. For these meatballs, use hemp hearts; they are more light in color, and blend easily with the herbs and nuts and mix evenly into the chicken.
Hemp hearts add plant protein, healthy fats, and fiber to the mixture. I also add pistachios (or walnuts) for a little texture and extra fiber. Fresh mint is especially good with the za’atar, so I wouldn’t leave it out. The sage and black garlic are lovely additions, but the meatballs will still work without them.
What you’ll need
- Ground chicken: 450 g (1 lb). I use pasture-raised chicken when I can find it.
- Hemp hearts and nuts: Hemp hearts blend into the mixture; raw pistachios or walnuts add a little crunch.
- Za’atar and herbs: Za’atar, dried parsley, fresh mint, and optional sage give the meatballs their flavor.
- Aromatics: Shallot, garlic, and optional black garlic granules.
- Extra virgin olive oil: A little goes into the meatball mixture, with more for shallow frying.
How to make them
First, pulse the shallot, garlic, nuts, hemp hearts, za’atar, parsley, salt, mint, sage, and black garlic granules in a food processor until finely chopped and combined.
Mix this with the ground chicken and two tablespoons of olive oil, then form small meatballs using about one tablespoon of mixture for each.
Heat enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs one by one, leaving a little space between them. In my 10-inch All-Clad sauté pan (3 qt), I cook them in two batches.
Cook each batch for about 3 minutes on the first side, until the meatballs are golden and release easily. Turn them, pressing very gently if needed so they don’t roll back, and cook for about 3 minutes on the other side.
Toss them around the pan for about 2 minutes more to brown the remaining sides and cook them through. Each batch takes about 8 minutes.
How to serve them
We love these with homemade tahini sauce and a salad. For a quick dipping sauce, stir lemon juice and cold water into tahini until creamy. I use the juice of one lemon and a few tablespoons of water for four tablespoons of tahini, then finish it with a little za’atar and olive oil.
The meatballs are also good alongside millet and hemp heart tabbouleh or roasted sweet potato wedges with avocado, feta, and horseradish aioli. They’re easy to pack for lunch, and you can make a larger batch to freeze and reheat in the oven.
More ground chicken recipes
I love using ground chicken in my cooking. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs
- Homemade Italian Chicken Sausage Bites
- Ground Chicken and Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Kofta (also made with hemp hearts)
Enjoy!
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Za’atar Chicken Meatballs with Hemp Seeds (Gluten-Free)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 30 meatballs
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Low-Carb
Description
These za’atar chicken meatballs are full of vibrant herbs, warm spices, and a little crunch from pistachios. Hemp hearts blend into the ground chicken, helping a modest amount of meat go further while making the meatballs satisfying and tender. They cook in about eight minutes in a skillet and are delicious with a simple tahini sauce, whether you serve them for dinner, pack them for lunch, or put them out as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (with a garlic press)
- 2 tablespoons raw pistachios or walnuts
- 3 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste depending on your za’atar
- 1 small handful fresh mint
- About 7 sage leaves, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon black garlic granules, optional
- 450 g (about 1 lb) ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, for the skillet
Instructions
- Add the shallot, garlic, nuts, hemp hearts, za’atar, dried parsley, salt, mint, sage, and black garlic granules to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the ground chicken and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and mix with clean hands until evenly combined.
- Form small meatballs, using about 1 tablespoon of mixture for each.
- Heat enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs one by one, leaving a little space between them. In my 10-inch All-Clad sauté pan (3 qt), I cook them in two batches.
- Cook each batch for about 3 minutes on the first side, until the meatballs are golden and release easily. Turn them, pressing very gently if needed so they don’t roll back, and cook for about 3 minutes on the other side. Toss them around the pan for about 2 minutes more to brown the remaining sides and cook them through. Each batch takes about 8 minutes.
Notes
If your za’atar contains no salt, you may need about 1/4 teaspoon more salt. If you want to test before shaping the meatballs, take one small piece of the mixture and fry in oil. Taste it and see if it needs more salt.
You can omit the sage and black garlic granules. If omitting the black garlic, add one extra garlic clove if you like a more intense garlic flavor.
Use hemp hearts, also called hulled hemp seeds, rather than whole hemp seeds.
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