Name: Chicken Kofta with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken; 1 small onion, very finely grated or minced (about 1/3 cup, excess liquid squeezed out); 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional); 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or allspice (optional); 1/4 – 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs or panko; 2 tbsp olive oil (for shaping and brushing); Neutral oil or olive oil, for pan-frying or grilling; 1 cup plain Greek yogurt; 2 – 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or pressed; 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice (to taste); 1 – 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 – 2 tbsp cold water (to thin, as needed); 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/8 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tbsp fresh dill, mint, or parsley (optional); Warm pita bread, flatbread, or rice (for serving); Sliced cucumbers (for serving); Sliced tomatoes (for serving); Thinly sliced red onion (for serving); Fresh herbs (for serving); Lemon wedges (for serving); A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac or paprika for garnish (optional)

Description

A delightful Middle Eastern dish featuring flavorful chicken kofta meatballs served with a creamy garlic yogurt sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
1 small onion, very finely grated or minced (about 1/3 cup, excess liquid squeezed out)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or allspice (optional)
1/4 – 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs or panko
2 tbsp olive oil (for shaping and brushing)
Neutral oil or olive oil, for pan-frying or grilling
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 – 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or pressed
1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
1 – 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 – 2 tbsp cold water (to thin, as needed)
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh dill, mint, or parsley (optional)
Warm pita bread, flatbread, or rice (for serving)
Sliced cucumbers (for serving)
Sliced tomatoes (for serving)
Thinly sliced red onion (for serving)
Fresh herbs (for serving)
Lemon wedges (for serving)
A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac or paprika for garnish (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Finely grate or mince the onion, then squeeze out excess moisture; do the same for the garlic and chop the herbs.
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, onion, garlic, herbs, spices, salt, and breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined and slightly sticky.
Shape the mixture into small meatballs or patties. To cook, pan-fry in oil over medium-high heat or bake in an oven preheated to 400°F (200°C) for 15–20 minutes.
For the garlic yogurt sauce, whisk together yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, adjusting consistency with cold water.
Serve the cooked kofta drizzled with the sauce and garnished with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.

Notes

For the best texture, use chicken with a mix of dark and light meat and chill the mixture before shaping. Experiment with spices to add your desired flavor profile.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Grilling, Baking, Pan-Frying
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 330
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 750mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 75mg