Ground Chicken Meatballs With Sweet Peanut Sauce

These ground chicken meatballs are a flavorful twist on a classic, infused with soy sauce, ginger, and a hint of heat.

Paired with a creamy sweet peanut sauce, they’re perfect for a quick and easy dinner or as an appetizer for your next gathering.

Ready Time

45 mins

Yields

10 servings

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the sweet peanut sauce:
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, chopped onion, minced garlic, panko breadcrumbs, grated carrots, chopped cilantro, soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Mix everything together with your hands or a wooden spoon until just combined.

Be careful not to overmix. Use your hands to shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) in diameter.

You should end up with around 20-22 meatballs.

Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each meatball to allow for even cooking. Drizzle the olive oil over the meatballs and gently roll them around to coat evenly.

Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sweet peanut sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, water, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Blend everything together until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Once the meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Then, transfer them to a serving platter or individual plates.

Serve with the sweet peanut sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

Make sure to not overmix the meatball mixture, as it can make the meatballs dense and tough. If using your hands to mix, be gentle and stop as soon as everything is just combined.

Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the meat mixture, making it easier to get uniform meatballs.

Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet, as the meatballs need some space to cook evenly. If necessary, bake them in batches.

If you find the sweet peanut sauce too thick, add a little more water.

If it’s too thin, add a little more peanut butter. You can make the sweet peanut sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Give it a good stir before serving.

You can serve the meatballs as an appetizer or as part of a larger meal with noodles, rice, or veggies. Get creative!