Asian Chicken Meatballs

These Asian Chicken Meatballs are soft, juicy and tender coated in a deliciously sweet, spicy and savory saucy glaze, served with brown rice, broccoli and herbs.  On the table in under 30 minutes, these are some of the most flavorful, yet simple meatballs you could make and they take less then 10 minutes or prep.

Recipe Highlights

• The sauce is thick, sticky, sweet, salty, spicy and savory and totally addictive
• Its around a medium level of spice, although not as spicy as a medium Thai curry.  It can be easily adjusted by leaving out the chili paste if making for those who prefer milder levels of spice
• Oven baked meatballs with Asian spices and breadcrumbs create a melt in your mouth texture
• Made with ground chicken, but will also work beautifully with ground turkey, beef or pork
• This dish is ideal for meal prepping, just add rice and one or two veges
• Made with ingredients that are sugar free/low sugar which are available from your local supermarket
• The sauce is multipurpose and can even be used to glaze salmon, prawns, pork chops and even ribs

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Ground Chicken/Chicken Mince:  using either ground chicken breast or ground chicken thigh is totally fine to use.  Thigh meat will have a little more fat and may produce a slightly more juicy meatball, but overall the different won't be very noticeable
• Garlic and Ginger:  Use freshly minced garlic and ginger if possible as it will provide a more punchier flavor, however the pastes and bottled varieties will work just fine.
• Soy Sauce:  I used light soy sauce, however regular soy sauce will work as well.  I don't recommend using dark soy sauce (to strong) or sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) - too sweet
• Chinese Five Spice Powder:  this is a standard everyday spice found in most supermarkets in the spice aisle.  If unable to find it, you can leave it out and will not adversely affect the overall flavor.

• Corriander/Cilantro and Mint:  I love using fresh herbs finely diced when making meatballs as you can definitely taste the flavor come through when they are cooked.  However if this isn't possible, the next best thing is semi dried herbs, or dried mint and coriander/cilantro.  I recommend including the herbs over leaving them out, even if using dried.
• Breadcrumbs:  I prefer panko breadcrumbs as its lighter in texture, but wholemeal breadcrumbs work as well to help bind the meatballs. 
• Sugar Free Sweet Chili Sauce:  Regular sweet chili sauce is loaded with sugar so I prefer to use a sugar free one.  I often make my own sugar free sweet chili sauce, or sometimes I buy it and there are lots of different brands now offering sugar free varieties, like this Light Sweet Chili Sauce, and this Sugar Free Sweet Chili Sauce
• Sugar Free BBQ Sauce:  This provides a tang to the overall glaze for the meatballs, and using a sugar free BBQ sauce will help to lower the calories.  Both woolworths and coles stock sugar free BBQ sauce options.  At a pinch you could use a sugar free tomato sauce/ketchup.
• Rice Wine Vinegar:  This helps to balance the sauce and alternatively, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used.
• Chili Paste:  This is optional and provides a little additional spice and heat.  It can be left out if making for those who prefer milder dishes.

If you're a meatball fanatic, check out my Thai Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce, its one of my most popular recipes, and there is also my Butter Chicken Meatballs - a little twist on a classic.

How to Make

1. Make the Meatballs:  Add the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl and mix together using a spoon, or your hands. 

2. Roll into Balls:  Once combined, use a dessert spoon to portion out the mixture to make 15 meatballs.  As you make them place each one on a baking sheet/baking tray, lined with baking paper.

3.  Bake:  Bake meatballs for 20 minutes at 180 C, then remove and set aside. While meatballs are baking, cook the broccoli pieces either by using a steamer over a pot of water, or in a small bowl with water in the microwave.

3. Make Sauce:  Add all the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.  Add sauce to a pot or pan on the stove on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes (until it starts to bubble and get sticky).  Add the meatballs into the sauce and toss to coat.
4. Serve:  Portion rice into 4 bowls, add meatballs and sauce on top.  Add broccoli, and sprinkle sesame seeds on to serve.

Recipe Tips

• Cooking the meatballs:  Definitely cook the meatballs before putting them in the sauce as you want to get a nice texture on the meatballs before adding the sauce.  Once the sauce is on, it will be difficult to get a good texture on the outside without burning
• Double Up:  This recipe is easy to double up the quantity in the case you are cooking for more people.  Double the ingredients and cook either in 2 batches, or 1 batch on 2 separate trays
• Storage:  Store leftover meatballs in an air tight container in the fridge for upto 3 days
• Freezing:  If freezing, cook the meatballs first, but don't add the sauce/gaze.  They can be frozen for upto 3 months.  I don't recommend freezing with the sauce on them.
  Reheating:  Defrost meatballs in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the oven.  Make sauce and glazed once the meatballs are reheated.

Serving Options

• Rice:  white rice or brown rice.  Microwave or minute rice is also an extra time saver.
• Noodles:  precooked udon, ramen, singapore noodles will all work well as they take hardly any time to prepare.   Or try these Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles.
• Low Carb:  frozen cauliflower rice, homemade riced cauliflower or even homemade fried cauliflower rice.

Common Questions

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