Meatballs with a fresh Greek twist

Yogurt and feta make this chicken dish moist and tangy

Idon’t follow a strictly “Mediterranean Diet,” but if I ever decide to, it would not be much of a sacrifice. I love all of the flavors and foods associated with that style of eating. And it is no problem for me to make the meat play a supporting role on my plate.

When I saw a recipe for chicken meatloaf that called for feta cheese, fresh mint, leeks, squash and Kalamata olives and suggested serving all of that alongside a Greek salad, I knew I had to try it. And then, of course, tweak it, turning that meatloaf into meatballs.

GREEK CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH SQUASH

45 minutes | 4 servings Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. FOR THE MEATBALLS 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking sheet 1 pound ground chicken ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, plus more for serving

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped, plus whole leaves serving

2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated

1½ teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Greek

½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground allspice FOR THE VEGETABLES 3 medium yellow squash, trimmed and sliced a ¼-inch thick

1 large leek, trimmed, well-rinsed and thinly sliced

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (about 20 olives), halved 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil FOR THE SALAD 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 8 ounces), halved

1 cucumber (10 ounces), washed and sliced

¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled, plus more as needed (optional)

¼ red onion, thinly sliced (optional) ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Greek ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard Fine sea salt (optional) Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Fresh mint or dill, for serving (optional)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a large, rimmed baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, feta, yogurt, mint, garlic, oregano, pepper and allspice. Form the mixture into 16 equal-size meatballs, just under 1½-ounce each, and place in the center of the prepared baking sheet.

In another large bowl, gently toss together the squash, leek, olives and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until everything is coated. Arrange the vegetables around the meatballs and transfer to the oven. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 to 165 degrees.

While the meatballs are cooking, in a large serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, feta and red onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, oregano and mustard. Pour the dressing over the salad, lightly toss to combine, and sprinkle with a few mint leaves. Taste, and season with salt, pepper and more feta, if needed.

To serve, smear a heaping tablespoon of Greek yogurt on the plate and place the meatballs and squash partially on top of the yogurt. Spoon the salad next to the meatballs and sprinkle the plate with the mint or dill, if using.

Alternatively, you can serve this family-style by arranging the meatballs and squash on a large platter and the salad in a large bowl, and serving them with a small dish of Greek yogurt.

Nutrition (based on 4 servings) | calories: 559; total fat: 42 g; saturated fat: 10 g; cholesterol: 122 mg; sodium: 597 mg; carbohydrates: 22 g; dietary fiber: 4 g; sugar: 10 g; protein: 29 g.

Adapted from “Chicken!” by the editors of Good Housekeeping