Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven heats, finely dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces—this size is key because it helps the meatballs hold together as they cook. Mince the garlic cloves fresh (pre-minced garlic loses potency), and finely chop the fresh parsley and mint. Having everything prepped before mixing ensures you can work quickly once the chicken is exposed to air, which helps maintain its texture.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the diced red onion, minced garlic, chopped herbs, crumbled feta, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle in the olive oil and add a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Mix gently with your hands just until everything is evenly distributed—overmixing develops gluten in the chicken and creates dense, tough meatballs. I like to use crumbled feta rather than shredded because it distributes more evenly and adds wonderful pockets of salty tang throughout each bite.

Using slightly damp hands (this prevents sticking), gently form the mixture into meatballs about 1.5 inches in diameter and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart so heat circulates evenly around each one. Bake for 25 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned on the outside.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and let them rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve warm with rice, fresh salad, and creamy tzatziki sauce on the side for dipping.