GREEK MEATBALLS AND RICE SKILLET

Greek Meatballs and Rice Skillet image

Some of the key flavors of Greek cuisine-mint, parsley, feta, garlic, lemon-infuse this simple skillet meal that delivers big flavors without going overboard on calories. A one-pot meal that cooks up in about an hour, it's made from a base of basic ingredients, like rice, chicken broth, panko bread crumbs and ground beef. And yet, this meal is far from basic. Skillet cooking ensures that the meatballs stay juicy, with the added bonus of extra-flavorful rice. Serving them up with fresh finishing touches like chopped tomatoes, lemon zest and a sprinkle of parsley makes for a delicious escape from routine!

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories Dinner

Time 1h

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1/2 cup Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 lb ground beef (at least 90% lean)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
2 cups Progresso™ reduced sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Steps:

In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and milk; let stand 5 minutes. In large bowl, mix beef, bread crumb mixture, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the mint, salt and egg. Shape mixture into 18 (1 3/4-inch) meatballs.
In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Add meatballs; cook 10 to 15 minutes, gently turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides. Transfer to plate, and wipe out skillet.
In same skillet, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add broth and lemon juice; heat to simmering. Add meatballs; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 14 to 17 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in center (165°F) and rice is tender.
Top skillet with tomatoes, feta cheese, lemon zest and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 340, Carbohydrate 37 g, Cholesterol 90 mg, Fat 1/2, Fiber 1 g, Protein 21 g, SaturatedFat 4 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Cup, Sodium 710 mg, Sugar 3 g, TransFat 0 g