If you’re looking for more easy, asian inspired meals try my Vietnamese Meatballs and my Teriyaki Meatballs!
Asian Style Chicken Meatballs
Who doesn’t love meatballs? They are easy to make, versatile and can be made in advance and frozen for quick weeknight meals. These Asian Style Chicken Meatballs are smothered in a sweet and spicy Asian inspired sauce. The sauce is made up of of soy sauce, honey, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Serve as an appetizer or as a meal with some sticky white rice or fried rice. One of my favorite ways to serve these meatballs are as lettuce wraps with some julienne veggies! If you’re not a fan of ground chicken you can always use ground pork, beef or turkey instead.
What’s in these Asian Meatballs?
For the Meatballs:
Ground Chicken: Ground chicken is low in fat and takes on the asian flavors of this recipe well. Feel free to substitute ground turkey, ground beef or ground pork in place of the chicken. Panko Breadcrumbs: The breadcrumbs help the meatballs stick together and for added moisture. The juice from the meat will soak into the panko as it is being cooked and trap the juice inside the meatball. Garlic & Onion: Flavor the meatballs. You can use either minced fresh garlic or add granulated garlic! Egg: Is added as a binder to help the meatball stick together. Seasonings: Salt & Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes & Parsley help to season the meatball throughout.
For the Asian Sauce:
Soy Sauce: For umami and flavor. I recommend using low sodium soy sauce. Honey: Honey will balance the umami and spicy flavors in the sauce. Sesame Oil: I love the taste of sesame oil in this sauce. It has a nutty and toasty flavor. Sriracha: Sriracha is great for spice. Add to taste in case you are sensitive to spice. Rice Wine Vinegar: Acid in the rice wine vinegar will balance out the taste of the sauce.
How to Make Asian Style Chicken Meatballs
For the Meatballs:
Mix ingredients: In a large bowl add ground chicken, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, egg, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and parsley. Using your hands mix to combine.
Portion out 14 meatballs: (Working with slightly wet hands helps the dough from sticking.) You can make smaller meatballs if these are going to be for appetizers.
Bake: Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes or until caramelized on the outside and cooked through. Make sure to flip half way through cooking.
Take out of the oven: Toss the cooked meatballs in the sweet and spicy Asian sauce. Note: If you are freezing the meatballs do not toss with sauce until ready to serve.
Garnish & Serve: Top with extra parsley and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
For the Sauce:
Saute the garlic: Heat the oil in a saucepan, add garlic and cook for one minute. Add the remaining ingredients: Add the soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, sesame oil, sriracha and rice wine vinegar. Cook for about 2-3 minutes while simmering.
Serve: Take off heat and toss the meatballs into the sauce.
More Asian Inspired Recipes to Try
Sticky Tender Asian Chicken Thighs Asian Turkey Meatballs Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Grilled Asian Chicken Super Sticky Asian Chicken Bites Asian Style Sloppy Joes
