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4.6 from 642 votes

Skillet Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Rice

Crafted with ease and taste in mind, this recipe is a great choice.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Meatballs:
  • 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ cup bread crumbs panko, regular storebought or homemade
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Rice:
  • 1 ½ cups long grain or basmati white rice (see note)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • ¾ teaspoon salt plus more to taste if needed
  • 3 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon zest
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, milk, bread crumbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and parsley until well-combined. Roll into about 16 meatballs (about 1-2 inches in diameter).
  2. Heat the tablespoon olive oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown on each side. No need to cook through here as they will finish cooking with the rice - just get them nice and golden.
  3. Carefully scoop the meatballs out of the skillet onto a paper towel-lined plate and return the skillet to medium heat (wiping out any excess grease - leaving just a tiny bit for the rice).
  4. Add the rice to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the edges of the rice start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and salt and cook for another minute. Stir in the broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  5. Gently nestle the meatballs back into the rice mixture and cover the skillet. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and the meatballs are cooked through, about 18-20 minutes.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 or so minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan and additional fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Lemons: I used about 2 medium lemons for the recipe (zest the lemons before juicing them).
  • Brown Rice: also, if you are curious about using brown rice, I haven't tried it in this recipe but you could try upping the liquid just a bit and adding additional cooking time based on the type of brown rice you are using.
  • Meat: I use ground turkey for this recipe but you could probably get away with using ground beef or ground chicken or a combination (maybe even a little sausage, too?). I've mentioned this before in other recipes but the ground turkey in the tubes (packaged kind of like Jimmy Dean sausage tubes) is terrible and awful in my experience and makes the meatballs mushy. I prefer the ground turkey in the trays (I usually buy the lean ground turkey at Costco but have also used the Jennie-O brand in the trays with good results, too).
  • Lemon Wedges: if you want to pack a little more punch into the lemon flavor, consider serving lemon wedges alongside.
  • Salt: finally, depending on the salt content of your chicken broth, you may want to add additional salt to taste.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Serving Calories 393kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 36g (72%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 68mg (23%) Sodium 753mg (31%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 Serving
Calories 393kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 36g 72%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 753mg 31%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.