Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, beat the egg, then add the crumbled feta, oregano, dill, parsley, red pepper flakes, onion powder, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper—mix until well combined. Add the ground chicken and panko breadcrumbs, stirring gently until just combined; avoid overworking the mixture as this makes meatballs tough. Form 16 meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet, then lightly spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes until they're cooked through, then broil for 2-3 minutes (watching closely) until the tops are golden and crispy—I broil for the full 3 minutes for that nice crust, but adjust based on your oven's intensity.

While the meatballs are in the oven, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the dry orzo and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it turns a light golden brown—this toasting step adds nutty depth to the pasta. Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. The pasta should have a slightly creamy texture from the remaining broth rather than being completely dry.

Remove the skillet from heat and immediately stir in the fresh spinach for about 1 minute until it wilts into the warm orzo. Add the crumbled feta, halved olives, fresh lemon zest, fresh parsley, and fresh dill, folding everything together gently—I prefer using fresh herbs here rather than dried because they brighten the whole dish with that authentic Mediterranean flavor. Taste the orzo and season with salt and black pepper as needed, keeping in mind that the feta and olives are already salty.

Divide the Mediterranean orzo between serving bowls or plates, then top each portion with 4 of the baked meatballs. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of crumbled feta if desired and serve with fresh lemon wedges on the side for guests to squeeze over their bowls. The bright acidity from the lemon juice complements both the savory meatballs and the creamy orzo beautifully.