These Asian chicken meatballs are coated in a sweet and savory sauce and are perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner in just 30 minutes!
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Why this Recipe Works
Meatballs are a great option for quick weeknight dinners. They use common pantry ingredients and are quick to mix up. Then just a short bake in the oven and they're ready to go! And there are so many ways to finish them off and add tons of flavor.
For these chicken meatballs, I went with an Asian sauce which is similar to teriyaki sauce, but not as sweet. It's a delicious blend with a hint of sweetness from the honey and salty from the soy sauce balanced by the mirin and rice vinegar. you can add around ⅓ cup of sugar to the sauce to make a homemade teriyaki sauce.
For another easy meatball recipe check out my Instant Pot meatballs in red sauce.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Ground Chicken - I recommend using ground chicken with dark meat, and not ground chicken breast. It has more flavor and will not dry out as easily.
- Bread Crumbs - I used plain breadcrumbs in my meatballs. You can also use Panko for a little more texture or make your own breadcrumbs if you prefer.
- Mirin - Mirin is a sweetened rice wine that is common in Asian sauces. It adds a subtle sweetness and umami flavor to the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar - Rice vinegar is milder than white vinegar, but if you don't have any on hand you can substitute white vinegar and reduce the amount to 2 teaspoons.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the breadcrumbs, egg, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken, chopped green onion, and garlic. Using wet hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. If the mixture is too dry add 1-2 Tbsp of milk as needed.
- Again using wet hands, form into evenly sized meatballs and place them on the lined baking sheet. you should end up with 16-24 meatballs depending on the size.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the meatballs are browned and the internal temperature reaches 170°F.
- While the meatballs cook, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Then add all of the sauce ingredients and the cornstarch slurry to a small saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk frequently until the mixture thickens, then remove from the heat.
- When the meatballs have finished cooking, transfer them to a large bowl and pour the sauce over top. Toss until the meatballs are well coated, then garnish with scallions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Ground chicken is much softer than ground beef, so the meatball mixture will be pretty smooth and moist when mixed. If you're having trouble forming the meatballs, chill the mixture for 10-15 minutes to help firm it up.
- Wet your hands when working with the meat mixture. This helps it not stick to your hands. I keep a small bowl of water on the counter when preparing them so I can dip my hands in as needed.
- You can use a small to medium cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs instead of using your hands if you prefer.
- You can also cook the meatballs on the stovetop in a large skillet instead of baking. Set your skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil then add your meatballs and cook for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally.
What to Serve with Asian Chicken Meatballs
These flavorful chicken meatballs can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. For side dishes, I recommend simple pairings like steamed rice and steamed broccoli.
You can also serve them as part of a larger assortment of Asian dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
- Easy Vegetable Lo Mein
- Grilled Asian Short Ribs
- Easy Sesame Chicken
Spicy Variation
For a spicy version of these chicken meatballs try adding 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha sauce, chili garlic sauce, or gochujang paste when preparing the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Transfer to a baking dish and reheat in a 325°F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave.
These chicken meatballs do freeze well. You can freeze them cooked or raw for up to 3 months, but wait to glaze them until you're ready to serve.
This Asian glaze also goes great on ground turkey, beef, or pork meatballs. Simply swap out the ground chicken for the ground meat of your choice.
More Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Rice
- Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Kebabs
- Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Lime Marinade
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs
- Creamy Chicken Florentine
📖 Recipe
Asian Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon mirin
- 1 pound ground chicken, with dark meat
- 1 tablespoon green onion , finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon chopped scallions, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the breadcrumbs, egg, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken, chopped green onion, and garlic to the bowl. Using wet hands, mix the ingredients until well combined, but avoid overworking the mixture. If the mixture is too dry add 1-2 Tbsp of milk as needed.
- Again using wet hands, form into evenly sized meatballs and place them on the lined baking sheet. you should end up with 16-24 meatballs depending on the size.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the meatballs are browned and the internal temperature reaches 170°F.
- While the meatballs cook, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Then add all of the sauce ingredients and the cornstarch slurry to a small saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk frequently until the mixture thickens, then remove from the heat.
- When the meatballs have finished cooking, transfer them to a large bowl and pour the sauce over top. Toss until the meatballs are well coated, then garnish with scallions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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