I love Thai Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce. The meatballs are lightly spiced, juicy and melt in your mouth, and the peanut sauce is so deliciously moreish you'll want to lick your plate. A sweet, spicy, tangy, flavour fusion. This is a perfect midweek dinner for two with leftovers for lunch. It feels like takeout, but healthier.
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How To Make
- Get the Rice On. I use a rice cooker to set and forget and I think this is the easiest way to cook rice!
- Make you meatballs . There are only 6 ingredients I use to make moist tasty meatballs with a thai twist. Chicken, minced garlic, grated ginger, a little soy, a little chilli and garlic salt.
- Cook the meatballs. Cooking them take 5 to 7 minutes and once they are done you can pop them in te oven on a very low temp to keep warm, or just cover them with a lid whilst you make the sauce
- Make the Peanut Sauce. This sauce comes together in about 5 minutes. Its so tasty and you can use it on so many things.
- Assemble: Rice + Meatballs + Pour the sauce over. Then garnish to shallots or spring onions.
These chicken meatballs are a cinch to whip up after a busy day at work (which I often do), and whilst they are sizzling away in the pan practically cooking themselves, it's simple and easy to throw all the peanut sauce ingredients into another saucepan.
What's In Peanut Satay Sauce?
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ½ teaspoon Ginger, finely grated
- ½ tablespoon mild chilli paste
- 2 tablespoons sugar free crunchy peanut butter
- ¾ cup light coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon Raw honey
- 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Penang Curry Paste
This makes about 1 cup of peanut curry sauce, maybe a bit more. Enough to generously coat the meatballs and have some leftover for the rice as well.
Other clean eating chicken dinners to tempt your tastebuds:
- 20 minute Pineapple Chicken Curry (comfort food you can eat all year round)
- Healthy Mango Chicken Bake (a dish that even the fussiest of eaters will love)
- Authentic Clean Eating Butter Chicken (From scratch and super easy to make)
- Easy Pulled Chicken Burrito Bowls for Busy Weeknights (healthy mexican in 20 minutes)
Thai Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce Is A Must Make Weeknight Dish
Your house will definitely be filled with the enticing scent of a welcoming dinner when you make this. In the event you have an open window in your kitchen where dinner smells can waft over into your neighbours house, you may even have the neighbours asking you "What's for Dinner?"
And it's on the table in under 30 minutes as well. Actually you could probably even do it quicker than that, especially if you have a helper (hubby/housemate/sibling/child/significant other) to help you do the meatballs.
How To Cook Thai Chicken Meatballs
- Use a little oil to avoid them sticking (I love to use coconut oil)
- Cook on medium to high heat
- Once they are a little bit cooked, res them up against each other to try and get them evenly cooked
- Give the pan a gentle shake once or twice to move the meatballs around to get even colour and to avoid sticking
This dish is perfect if you love peanut butter and love curry.
Want more simple to make sauciness, check these out:
What to Serve With Chicken in Peanut Sauce:
- Rice: Jasmine, or brown rice
- Noodles: Egg noodles, Soba noodles, or even Udon noodles. Whatever you have on hand.
- Greens: broccoli, zucchini noodles, green beans, or steamed bok choi.
Other Ways To Use This Sauce
- Instead of chicken meatballs, why not try home-made beef or pork, or even turkey meatballs. Whilst I prefer to make my own meatballs, you could make this sauce to go with frozen storebought meatballs if you're really pressed for time, or don't like making meatballs.
- Cook up your favourite noodles add a few veges and this peanut sauce.
- Drizzled over chicken breast, turkey breast or a piece of steak.
- Chicken kebabs with peanut sauce, baked salmon with peanut sauce.
- Even use it as a dipping sauce with sweet potato chips baked in the oven until crispy.
Once you know how to make this peanut sauce you'll probably find it sneaking into your cooking repertoire quite often.
Whilst this recipe calls for Penang curry paste to really bring out that punch thai flavour, if you don't have this, you can use Red Thai Curry paste. It will work just as well, however it may make it a little spicer so use less if you like a milder sauce.
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A tip for these Thai Chicken Meatballs
You can totally make these meatballs ahead, lightly precook them, let them cool and freeze them.
More Saucy Chicken Recipes:
Thai Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken
- 500 grams chicken mince
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon chilli paste or sambal olek - (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon light Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 2 cups jasmine rice (cooked)
- 12 Green beans
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Satay Curry Sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ tablespoon chilli paste or sambal olek
- 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter - (Note 1)
- ¾ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon monkfruit sweetener
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoons penang curry paste
Instructions
- Get the rice on, and cook according to packet instructions. (I use a rice cooker)
- Boil a saucepan of water ready for the beans.
- Make Meatballs: In a large bowl, add 500 grams chicken mince, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon chilli paste or sambal olek, 1 teaspoon light Soy Sauce and 1 teaspoon onion salt. Mix together until ingredients are well combined, then make into 12 evenly sized meatballs, or 16 smaller sized meatballs.
- Cook Meatballs: Heat a large pan/skillet on medium heat and 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add the meatballs, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. After they have lightly browned, put a lid on to keep the heat in. They should take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook.
- Making the Satay Curry Sauce: in a medium pot, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ tablespoon chilli paste or sambal olek and½ teaspoon ginger paste. Stir for a minute until fragrant. Next, add the ¾ cup full fat coconut milk and stir in for 1 minute. Then add 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter and stir in until it melts.Finally, add 1 tablespoons penang curry paste, 1 teaspoon monkfruit sweetener, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce , pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon lime juice (freshly squeezed). Stir for a minute to mix it all in and then remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook beans: While the meatballs and curry sauce is cooking, add 12 Green beans to a pot of boiling water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and remove from the heat. Alternatively you can pop your steamer on top of the boiling water to steam the beans.
- Serving: Serve with 2 cups jasmine rice (cooked), divided equally.
Notes
- Chilli Paste: I used the masterfoods fresh chilli paste in this recipe. You could also substitute for Sambel Olek - an asian chilli paste (found in the Asian food aisle of supermarkets). Alternatively you can easily make a chilli paste with long red chilies, pounded in a mortar and pestle until a paste is formed.
- Peanut Butter: There are many sugar free peanut butters on the shelves of supermarkets these days. Look for one that says "sugar free" on the label, or "natural". Either way, read the back of the ingredient label and if the only ingredient is peanuts its a winner.
- Curry Paste: Yellow or red curry pastes are a suitable substitute for penang curry paste.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
Josie Beck says
Really really good…. Just the perfect amount of heat. I will definitely repeat.
Miriam says
Could you make sauce ahead of time?
Kim says
Sure can. Just reheat it on the stovetop or microwave.
Elena says
This was DELICIOUS! Definitely one to keep in our rotation. Easy to make and very full of flavor. I didn't have crunchy peanut butter so I used my smooth one and it was absolutely fantastic.
Crissy says
This was delicious! The sauce was wonderful!
Karman Foods says
This Thai Chicken Meatballs with peanut sauce is so delicious! Sambal Oelek is definitely high quality. I also used Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Tamari Soy Sauce for a yummier twist of taste.
Kayla says
Holy cow, yum!!! Was a little leary of using ground chicken, but this entire recipe was delightful! SUCH good flavors all around. We will be making this again!!
Chelsea says
Lovely! The chicken balls were a little dry. I will try pork mince next time. I substituted the chilli with tomato sauce... sadly the kids can't take too much heat. I also used light coconut cream rather than milk, becsuse I like a thick sauce. I added crushed penuts to the garnish. I will certainly be cooking this one again!
Daniel says
Too peanuty for me but I am sure lots of people would love it.
Cari says
Hi! Step #8 in the instructions says to use granulated stevia instead of the honey that is mentioned in the ingredients list. Can you confirm which one we should use? Thanks!
Kim says
Hi there, in this recipe you can use either raw honey or a granulated sweetener that measures like sugar. Both will work just fine, however my preference is to use honey as it adds a little extra richness to the sauce. I've updated the recipe with this info! Cheers.
Lisa says
Made it for dinner tonight and it was a hit. We like a lot of spice so I will add more next time. I used ground turkey because that is what I had and it was a good substitute.
Mindy Hobbs says
Can ground chicken be substituted for chicken mince?
Kim says
Yep, sure can.
Kim says
Yes it can.
Thai food fan says
Perfect flavors - my family loved it too! I sautéed the vegetables with ginger garlic paste and a little soya sauce and they went well with the thai gravy.
Ally Watson says
This recipe was ridiculously delicious! It literally tasted like take out Thai! I used Thai red curry sauce instead of Panang because I couldnt find it in the store and it definitely turned out spicy, but I love spicy Thai food so it was amazing! I served it over sauteed green beans which I cooked in the same pan as the meatballs with a little coconut oil and romaine lettuce instead of putting it over rice to avoid the carbs. It was so amazing and my kids and husband loved it as well! It is definitely going in the rotation!!
Amanda says
This was sooooo good! I accidentally used 500g chicken mince instead of 400g, added fresh parsley and coriander into mince mixture. Used paprika instead of chilli paste, and red curry paste instead of Penang curry paste. Will definitely do this recipe again ❤️🍴
Taffy G Fadoul says
This sounds delicious! Quick question, is the coconut milk, sweetened or no?
Kim says
I used unsweetened coconut milk.
Kim says
I used unsweetened regular coconut milk.
Mags says
Great recipe. Really easy and extremely tasty. Will be adding it to my favourites.
Joona says
Made this tonight. Soooo good! It took me more like 25-30 mins to prep. But that’s still very doable on a busy weeknight, and wasn’t complicated. Loved it and will make it again for sure. Thanks for a great recipe!
LaNae says
The whole family loved it! I used almond butter instead of peanut butter because a couple of my kids have peanut allergies. Deliciously different than the standard chicken breasts we usually have.
Alexia O'Sullivan says
Peanut sauce is my weakness. I made this on the weekend and loved it! was Yum. Got the sugar free peanut butter from woollies and all.
Chantelle says
Do you think this would be too spicy for kids??? Because it looks and sounds amazing! And I really want to make it haha
Kim says
Even though this recipe has chilli in it, it isn't overly spicy as its only a small amount and I used a very mild chilli. Depending on how old your kids are you could either leave the chilli out, or if you include it do make sure you buy a mild chilli paste.