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These Asian Chicken Meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and coated in a sweet and savory sauce. Perfect for party appetizers or easy weeknight dinners!
My secret meatball obsession on full display.
A little peek into my life: I make meatballs like 3 times a week. I just…love them? Want them? Can’t stop with them? Yeah.
My baked chicken meatballs are a major go-to for my family. It’s an easy protein that everyone loves, low calorie, ready in about 20 minutes, and super easy to doctor up with different flavors.
These Asian chicken meatballs are, you guessed it, a doctored up version of those baked chicken meatballs.
They’re juicy, flavorful, and coated in a sticky-sweet sauce with just the right amount of spice – enough to keep it interesting, not enough to upset the kiddos.
You get savory chicken, fresh herbs, a hint of sesame, and that glossy sauce that clings to every bite. It’s the kind of recipe that works just as well for a quick weeknight dinner as it does for party appetizers.
Serve these over rice, stick a toothpick in them, or just stand over the pan and eat them with your fingers before they make it to the table. No shame.
If you enjoy these you’ll probably also want to try out our teriyaki meatballs, or these grape jelly meatballs which are a party favorite!
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
Asian flavors: You’ve got classic Asian flavors in this recipe including ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds and sesame oil. A nice little change from our usual fare.
Saucy: The sauce is sweet, savory, a little tangy, and just a bit spicy! It coats the meatballs and really enhances the flavor. Also doubles as a dip for meatballs.
Versatile: Serve them as appetizers, over rice or stir fry veggies as a main course, or as a side dish. Pretty much any way you like!
Ingredients for the meatballs:
Ground Chicken: Lean ground chicken keeps these light but still juicy. Another option is ground turkey if you prefer it or if that’s what you’ve got.
Panko Bread Crumbs: You could use regular breadcrumbs here instead but we think Panko gives the best texture! A little more airy and light, rather than dense and heavy.
Scallions & Cilantro: Adds fresh flavor and a little brightness. Not a cilantro fan? Swap for parsley or skip it.
Soy Sauce & Sesame Oil: The soy sauce adds savory flavor and the sesame oil adds nutty flavor. We recommend using reduced sodium soy sauce to keep things from getting too salty!
Garlic, Onion Powder & Ginger: Simple seasonings that build a lot of flavor without extra effort. Ginger is frequently used in Asian cooking but you can leave it out if you don’t like it.
Honey & Vinegar: The sweet honey balances out the savory sauce and helps to create the sticky glaze. The rice vinegar adds just a bit of tangy flavor to the mix.
Soy Sauce & Sesame Oil: They do double duty, showing up in the meatballs and in the sauce. Such bold flavors!
Red Pepper Flakes: Just enough heat to keep things interesting. Add more if you like it spicy or leave it out if you don’t! A squirt of sriracha sauce is another option.
Cornstarch: This is going to help thicken up the sauce a bit so that it clings nicely to the meatballs.
Step By Step:
Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a bowl and stir to combine them.
Roll the mixture into 20 meatballs and pop them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
While the meatballs bake, whisk together the sauce ingredients and simmer for around 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs to coat and serve any extra sauce for dipping.
Karly’s Tips & Tricks:
- Don’t overmix the meatballs: Mix just until combined to keep them tender.
- Use a cookie scoop: Keeps the meatballs evenly sized for even cooking.
- Check doneness: Chicken should reach 165°F internally to be safe. Use a meat thermometer to be it’s done!
- Let the sauce thicken: It will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t overcook it.
- Extra saucy: Double the sauce if you want extra for drizzling over rice or veggies. And yes – you do want that!
My Favorite Thermometer!
I love using this meat thermometer for making sure the meat is fully cooked! Easy for beginners & absolutely worth the low cost.
Serving Suggestions:
You’ve got plenty of options for serving these Asian chicken meatballs! They can be an appetizer, the main course, or a side dish. They’re excellent when served over steamed white rice or alongside my homemade fried rice!
A pile of lo mein, some stir fry veggies, and these meatballs are also a tasty dinner.
The meatballs also go great with some green veggies, like these spicy Szechuan green beans or even just steamed broccoli.
These saucy little meatballs also work great as an appetizer. Pop them in the crockpot to keep them warm and serve with toothpicks.
Storage:
- Fridge: You can keep any leftover meatballs stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: The cooked meatballs can be frozen (without sauce) for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving. Make the sauce fresh or freeze it separately.
More Asian Inspired Recipes:
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Asian Brussels Sprouts
- Pork Stir Fry
- Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
- Thai Peanut Noodles
Asian Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground chicken
- 3 scallions chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
- Sesame seeds and scallions for garnish
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add all of the ingredients aside from the sesame seeds to a mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon (or your hands!) to mix everything together nicely.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion into 20 balls and then use your hands to roll them into a smooth ball.
- Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
- Once cooked through, toss the meatballs in the sauce to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra scallions before serving. Alternately, use the sauce as a dip for the meatballs.
To make the sauce:
- Add the soy sauce and cornstarch to a small sauce pan and whisk until smooth and combined. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir well. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often to ensure the sauce doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat and let cool while the meatballs finish baking. The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools.
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