Asian Chicken Meatballs
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Easy Asian-inspired chicken meatballs are a family favorite and so simple to make for a quick dinner. I love that the meatballs are made with everyday ingredients and bake in the oven for a truly low-maintenance meal. Meanwhile, the most delicious sweet and sticky glaze simmers on the stovetop until you’re ready to coat the meatballs and serve.
It’s never a bad night for meatballs, especially tender, flavorful meatballs with all the tastiest Asian-inspired notes! These little guys are super easy to make from scratch—mix, scoop, and bake—but still pack in all the fun and deliciousness of a homemade meal.
Inspired by my sweet and sticky Asian beef meatballs, this recipe delivers all the same flavor but with lean ground chicken as the backdrop. Even choosy kids often gobble these up, and my pickiest customer even requests the leftovers for his school lunch the next day. A true miracle!
Why You’ll Love These Asian Chicken Meatballs
- Easy and quick—ready in about 30 minutes total
- Meatballs and sauce made from scratch using everyday ingredients
- Lots of flavor in a kid-friendly package—the meatballs themselves are tender and light, while the sweet glaze can entice even the most suspicious of eaters
- Flexible to serve with a base of rice or heaps of steamed or crisp veggies
Ingredient Notes
Make it Extra Quick
In a pinch, go ahead and use frozen meatballs and just make the sauce. Of course the seasonings will vary, but if you start with prepared meatballs that have a fairly neutral flavor—as opposed to ones heavy on the Italian vibes—they’ll take on the flavor of the sweet, sticky glaze and give you an extra-simple meal. Bake the meatballs according to package directions, then coat with the sauce outlined here.
Mix, Bake, Glaze
Making these meatballs truly is simple. Baking them in the oven is a huge time-saver and frees you up to focus on the glaze and prepping any rice or other sides. You may even be able to relax a little!
- Combine all ingredients except the chicken and mix well with a fork.
- Add chicken and gently pull the seasoning mixture through it. This distributes the flavor evenly without overworking the meat, which keeps your meatballs light and tender.
- Portion and bake. Use a cookie dough scoop to make this super quick, and roll the balls with slightly damp hands to speed up that process, too.
- Simmer the glaze and stir to coat. When the meatballs are cooked through, toss them into the glaze to soak up more flavor and stay warm while you finish any sides.
Top Tip: Adjust the Sauce as you Like
Let the sauce simmer to the consistency that you like, and don’t be nervous to use your judgment. The longer and more aggressively it simmers, the more like syrup it will become. To thicken the sauce quickly, stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon cool water. To loosen the sauce if it thickened too much, reduce the heat a little and whisk in more water, 1 Tablespoon at a time.
Serving Ideas
These meatballs are fantastic served over rice or rice noodles for a super quick meal.
As for the veggies, you can go a couple of ways. If you’re craving cooked greens, you won’t go wrong with steamed broccoli florets or crisp roasted broccolini. Alternatively, these meatballs pair well with a smorgasbord of cool veggies: crisp cucumber, edamame, shredded carrots, cabbage, etc. Either way, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and thinly-sliced green onions is the perfect finishing touch.
More Asian-Inspired Meals at Home
I like to incorporate some type of Asian-inspired meal most every week for fun and variety in our dinner routine. These favorites are all achievable in about 30 minutes or less.
- Korean Ground Beef Bowls
- Thai Chopped Chicken Salads
- Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli
- Thai Green Curry with Shrimp
Asian Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup thinly-sliced green onions white parts
- 1 large egg
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground chicken
For the Sauce and for Serving:
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- thinly-sliced green onions (green parts) and toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- rice, edamame, steamed broccoli, or other veggies for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, green onions, egg, soy sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, red and black pepper. Use a fork to mix these together well.1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup thinly-sliced green onions, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Add ground chicken to the bowl. Continue using the fork to very gently pull the breadcrumb mixture through the meat, until it is pretty even. Try not to overwork.1 pound ground chicken
- Scoop the mixture into meatballs of 1-2 Tablespoons each and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. You can roll them gently between your hands to smooth them out, or skip this step if you don’t mind a “rustic” shape.
- Bake the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through to an interior temperature of 165°F.
- While the meatballs are in the oven, prepare the sauce. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, garlic powder, and an optional pinch of red pepper flakes. (Omit or reduce the red pepper if serving kids.)3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce, 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, pinch red pepper flakes
- Whisk together into a smooth sauce and bring it to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce bubble for 4-5 minutes. It should thicken up a bit.
- When meatballs are cooked through, add them to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce. Keep warm over low heat as you finish preparing your sides.
- Serve as desired. We like them over rice with plenty of sauce, veggies, and a sprinkling of thinly-sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!thinly-sliced green onions (green parts) and toasted sesame seeds, rice, edamame, steamed broccoli, or other veggies
Notes
- Sauce Consistency: If you want it to thicken up more and quickly, whisk in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon cool water. If it becomes too thick and you want to thin it back out, whisk in 1 Tablespoon of water at a time.
- Storage: Extra meatballs and sauce keep well tightly-covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, with a paper towel over the plate to prevent splatter, or over medium-low heat on the stovetop. The sauce will thin back out as it warms, or whisk in a teaspoon of water or broth if needed.
- Nutritional Info: is an estimate based on all of the meatballs and all of the sauce divided among four portions.
