Asian Chicken Meatballs

These Asian chicken meatballs are juicy, garlicky, and coated in a sticky sesame glaze. You get 25g of protein and only 1g of sugar per serving. Bake them or air fry them in under 30 minutes!

5 from 11 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Serving servings

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken, I love 93% lean
1 large egg
⅓ cup breadcrumbs, gluten-free if needed
¼ cup green onion (white and light green parts), finely sliced (about 4 stalks)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, or tamari if you are gluten-free
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon black pepper

Sticky Sesame Glaze:

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, or tamari if you are gluten-free
1 tablespoon cold water
2 to 3 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 - 2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 - 2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon arrowroot starch, or cornstarch or tapioca flour

Instructions

Preheat. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Mix the meatballs. Add all the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix or the meatballs turn tough.
Roll. Using a scoop or your hands, form 18 to 22 meatballs and space them evenly across the lined baking sheet.
Bake. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. See the notes below to air fry instead.
Whisk the glaze cold. While the meatballs bake, whisk all the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl before heating. This keeps the arrowroot from clumping.
Simmer the glaze. Pour into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened.
Toss to coat. Transfer the baked meatballs into the saucepan and gently stir until every meatball is coated.
Serve. Spoon over brown or jasmine rice with edamame or a roasted vegetable. Garnish with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion.

Notes

Ground Chicken: You can also use ground turkey. I love 93% lean, but 99% works too since the egg keeps things moist.

Honey: Substitute maple syrup, coconut sugar, or light brown sugar.

Fresh Ginger: Freshly grated is best. In a pinch, use 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.

Rice Vinegar: Substitute white wine vinegar one-for-one.

Fresh Garlic: Freshly minced is best, but garlic powder works. Use at least 1 teaspoon each in the meatballs and the glaze.

How to Air Fry:

Preheat the air fryer to 360°F and lightly grease the basket or line it with parchment.
Space the meatballs out in the basket so they are not touching. Work in two batches if the basket is small.
Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until they reach 165°F internally.
Transfer the meatballs to the saucepan with the glaze and gently stir to coat.

Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.

Freezing: Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Thaw frozen meatballs, then warm in a saucepan over low heat. From the fridge, microwave or use the saucepan method.

Nutrition

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Asian

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