Sticky Thai Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Original Post:

Thai meatballs are served in a white plate with quinoa salad.

5 from 2 votes

Sticky Thai Chicken Meatballs Recipe

A sticky sweet teriyaki sauce coats tender Thai Chicken Meatballs that are bursting with fresh cilantro and basil flavors! These bite-sized morsels make the perfect addition to other Asian-style dishes or served up on their own for an easy, yet impressive, party appetizer.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Servings: meatballs

Author: London Brazil

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs:

1 lb. ground chicken
½ cup bread crumbs Panko
1 large egg whisked
¼ cup Thai basil chopped
¼ cup cilantro chopped
1 ½ Tbsp. soy sauce regular or Tamari
½ Tbsp. fish sauce
2-3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tsp. ginger paste or finely minced
½ jalapeno finely minced
½ tsp. lemongrass paste
½ lime juice and zest
½ tsp. salt

Teriyaki Glaze:

¼ cup soy sauce or Tamari sauce*
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil toasted
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions

Combine Ingredients: Preheat oven to 425 degrees or air fryer to 380 degrees. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix together by hand or with a spatula until everything is well incorporated.
1 lb. ground chicken, ½ cup bread crumbs, 1 large egg, ¼ cup Thai basil, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 ½ Tbsp. soy sauce, ½ Tbsp. fish sauce, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp. ginger paste, ½ jalapeno, ½ tsp. lemongrass paste, ½ lime, ½ tsp. salt
Measure Meatballs: Scoop out 2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into a bowl. (Spray a bit of non-stick cooking spray on your hands or a drizzle of oil if you’re having trouble with the mixture sticking.) Repeat with the remaining meat mixture until you have 20 meatballs.
Bake in Oven: Place the meatballs in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or in an air fryer basket. Make sure none of the edges are touching. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, flipping the meatballs over halfway through. Or cook in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes, flipping the meatballs over halfway through cooking.
Make the Teriyaki Glaze: While the meatballs are cooking, add all of the Teriyaki Glaze ingredients, except for the starch and ¼ cup of water, to a medium-sized saucepan over high heat. Bring sauce to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until sugar begins to dissolve. Make a starch slurry by whisking together starch and water in a small bowl until smooth. Add starch slurry to the saucepan. Whisk sauce for 1-2 minutes over low heat until it is thickened to your desired consistency. (Sauce will thicken even more once it cools.)
¼ cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce, ¼ cup water, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Brush meatballs with glaze on all sides and return to the oven for another 3-5 minutes, or the air fryer for 2-3 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Serve the meatballs with additional chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and chopped peanuts.

Video

Notes

Prep-Ahead Instructions:

Much like other meatball recipes, you can easily meal prep these up to 2-3 days in advance. When you’re ready to eat, bring them to room temperature and either pop them in the oven or in the skillet and cook until done.

Storage Directions:

Leftover Thai meatballs will last for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place them on a large sheet pan and flash-freeze for 3-4 hours. Once firm, add the meatballs to a freezer-safe bag or container. These meatballs will freeze well for up to a year but frozen meatballs do start to lose their quality after 3-4 months. You can warm up meatballs in the microwave, in a skillet, or back in the oven.

Recipe Tips:

You choose. These sticky Thai meatballs are delicious with ground chicken, but you can easily opt for pork or turkey.
Some like it hot. Add some extra garlic chili paste or Sriracha for a little heat, or leave it out entirely.
Smells fishy. Surprisingly, it doesn't! And fish sauce gives these meatballs a rich flavor.
Top 'em off. Don't forget the chopped peanuts just before serving.
Make it early. This dish is perfect for meal prep! Just save the sauce until just before you dig in.

Nutrition