Creamy peanut sauce makes these Asian Chicken Meatballs a standout! As if that’s not enough of a selling point, they’re done in just 25 minutes, making them doable for a weeknight dinner.
Meatballs for the peanut sauce lovers.
There are many Asian chicken meatball recipes on the internet, but chicken meatballs with peanut sauce—those are a little more unique.
I happen to adore chicken with peanut sauce (ahem: Peanut Butter Chicken, Chicken Satay), so for me, this was a natural pairing. The meatballs themselves are tender and moist, infused with lots of Asian flavor thanks to fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha.
Then the pièce de résistance comes in the form of a sweet, tangy, creamy peanut sauce. Ginger gives it warmth and punch, honey adds just the right amount of sweetness, and it’s also a little spicy (another hat tip to sriracha).
Serve these succulent Asian chicken meatballs as an appetizer or over rice for a quick weeknight dinner.
The Trick to Perfect Chicken Meatballs
Chicken Meatballs (and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs) are a favorite around here, but I’ve found that they need a little more TLC than their ground beef counterparts.
Chicken is leaner than ground beef, which means it’s more prone to drying out. Egg binds the chicken meatball mixture and adds moisture, while the soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and even the ginger and garlic also help keep things moist despite the lower fat content of the ground chicken.
When mixing the chicken for the meatballs, avoid over-working the meat. Mix gently, preferably with your hands, and don’t squeeze the ground chicken too much. That goes for shaping the meatballs, too. Roll gently!
What to Serve With Asian Chicken Meatballs
As mentioned above, you can go one of two ways with this recipe: appetizer or main dish. Here are some serving options for both.
- Other Asian-Inspired Apps. Pork Dumplings or Air Fryer Egg Rolls would be excellent!
- Grains. Serve your Asian chicken meatballs over a base of Instant Pot Brown Rice or white rice to soak up the delectable peanut sauce. Or try quinoa!
- Stir Fries. A veggie stir fry like this Zucchini Stir Fry would be a great accompaniment too.
More Scrumptious Meatball Recipes
- You can travel the world with meatball recipes. First stop: Morocco! Whip up these spiced Moroccan Meatballs and serve them over couscous.
- And then there’s Swedish Meatballs, which are incomplete without a bowl of egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
- For a more traditional Italian meatball, make a batch of my Crockpot Meatballs or Chicken Meatballs and serve them over spaghetti. Tasty!
Asian Chicken Meatballs
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 green onions finely chopped, plus additional for serving
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for serving, optional
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped, about 2 teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons canola oil for brushing
- Sesame seeds optional for serving
For the Sauce:
- ⅔ cup water
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove finely minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Serving:
- Brown or white rice
- Fresh or steamed veggies of choice: broccoli bell peppers, shredded cabbage, etc.
Instructions
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Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, place all of the meatball ingredients except for the canola oil: chicken, panko, egg, green onion, cilantro (if using), ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha.
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With a fork, break up the egg yolk, then stir gently to combine all of the ingredients, switching to your hands if needed.
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Scoop the mixture by 1 tablespoon portions and shape into balls that are 1 to 1 1/2-inches wide. Be careful not to overwork or compact the meat or the meatballs will be tough. You’ll have 18 to 20 meatballs total. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Brush canola oil over the top and sides.
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Bake the meatballs until they register 165°F on an instant read thermometer, about 10 minutes.
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While the meatballs cook, prepare the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sriracha. Whisk and heat over medium-high, bringing the sauce to a boil. Let bubble, whisking constantly, until the ingredients are smoothly combined, and the sauce cooks down a little, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the sesame oil. Carefully taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Set aside to cool (the sauce will continue to thicken).
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Serve the meatballs with rice and your veggies of choice. Drizzle generously with the sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro as desired.
