These Asian Chicken Meatballs are one of my favorites to make for both healthy meals and party appetizers. Made with ginger and covered in a sticky honey sesame glaze, these oven-baked ground chicken meatballs are unbelievably tasty. The best part is these are so easy to make, and they’re ready in just 30 minutes!
If you ask me, it’s never a bad time for meatballs–especially ones that are bursting full of flavor! This recipe for Asian-inspired ginger chicken meatballs comes together so quickly and easily, so it’s really become a go-to for me. I’ve found that they work just as well for a well-balanced dinner with rice and veggies, as they do for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
What’s in Asian Chicken Meatballs?
- Ground Chicken: Forms the base of our meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs: Absorb the juices from the chicken as it cooks, ensuring moist meatballs.
- Green Onions: Add a pop of color and freshness.
- Garlic + Ginger: Add an earthy, zesty flavor. I highly recommend using fresh over powdered.
- Egg: Helps bind the meatballs together.
- Sesame Oil: Adds moisture and a little bit of extra fat to the meatballs, and adds a rich nutty flavor to the glaze.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a salty, umami element to the ginger meatballs and the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: Adds acidity and brightness to the honey sesame sauce.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Combines with water to create a slurry that thickens the sauce.
Variations to Try
There are lots of ways you can change up this ginger chicken meatballs recipe. To make them spicier, try adding some sriracha, crushed red pepper flakes, or gochujang to the sauce. Swap the honey for brown sugar and the rice vinegar for mirin to make a teriyaki variation.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Asian chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze ground chicken meatballs in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes and Tips
- I recommend using your hands to combine ingredients–this is the easiest way to really get in there and make sure everything is mixed evenly.
- If you prefer to cook meatballs on the stovetop instead of the oven, cook them in a skillet over medium heat for about 12 minutes.
- Serve these Asian chicken meatballs with white rice and broccoli, fried rice, or lo mein noodles.
Top Reader Reviews
- “I made these meatballs on a whim tonight and absolutely loved them! I paired them with sautéed riced cauliflower and it was the perfect, healthy dinner!” – Christie
- “For sure making this again. Delicious!” – Noreen
Asian Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 4 green onions finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Glaze:
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic grated or minced
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Thoroughly combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.1 pound ground chicken, ½ cup breadcrumbs, 4 green onions, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Form the mixture into 24-30 meatballs and arrange on a large baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are slightly browned on the outside and cooked through (165°F internally).
- While the meatballs are baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan.⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking until the sauce begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue to whisk occasionally until the meatballs are ready.
- Pour the glaze over the meatballs on the baking sheet and toss to coat.
- Serve meatballs as an appetizer or with rice and a vegetable.
Notes
- Ensure that the ingredients for the meatballs are really well combined. I prefer to mix everything with my hands to ensure everything is mixed thoroughly.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment so that the don’t stick. It also makes clean up a breeze.
- Roll the balls into even shapes and sizes so that they cook evenly. You can use a small cookie scoop to get uniformed sizes.
- If you prefer, you can also cook the meatballs in a skillet on the stovetop. Add a little oil to a medium hot pan and cook for around 12 minutes while turning occasionally.
How to Make Asian Chicken Meatballs Step by Step
Combine Meatball Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine 1 pound of ground chicken, ½ cup of breadcrumbs, 4 finely chopped green onions, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt.
Form the Meatballs: Take about 1-2 tablespoons of the ground chicken mixture (I use a cookie scoop), and roll it between your hands to form it into a ball, and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until the meatball mixture is gone. It should yield 24-30 meatballs.
Bake: Bake the ginger chicken meatballs for 15-20 minutes, or until the they are slightly browned on the outside and fully cooked through (165°F internally).
Make the Glaze: While the meatballs are baking; place a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. In the pot, whisk together ⅓ cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 clove of minced garlic, ¼ cup of honey, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Then combine 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water in a separate bowl, then whisk into the mixture (this helps thicken it).
Thicken the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking until the sauce begins to thicken. Then reduce heat to low, and continue to whisk occasionally until the meatballs are ready.
Glaze the Meatballs: Remove the chicken meatballs from the oven. Pour the honey sesame glaze over the meatballs on the baking sheet, and toss to fully coat.
Serve: Serve glazed Asian chicken meatballs as desired. For dinner, serve them with white rice, broccoli, sesame seeds, and green onions. Or serve them as an appetizer!
Yes! Simply swap out the breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs, and swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
The meatballs are done when the outside of them is slightly browned and they are cooked through, it should take between 15 and 20 minutes. You can break one apart to check that they are cooked through. If you have an instant-read thermometer it should register at 165ºF.
You can roll the meatballs and before you bake them you can keep them in the fridge, covered for 2 to 3 days. You can also bake the meatballs ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm them through in the oven before adding the sauce and serving.
Easy to make , and very tasty!!!
I’m so happy you love it!
The meatballs were really good. They stayed soft and were very tasty. The sauce was not so good. All we could taste was the honey. Too overpowering. Either I’ll use less next time or switch to brown sugar. My kid ate the meatballs but not the sauce.
I’m sorry the sauce didn’t work out for you! I am glad you enjoyed the meatballs though!
the sauce was amazing. I used mikes hot honey and some raw honey mixed .. and used ground ginger for the meatballs. everything came out great thank you!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Lucy!
I love the idea of using hot honey- will try that next time! Thanks for sharing.
I made these meatballs on a whim tonight and absolutely loved them! I paired them with sautéed riced cauliflower and it was the perfect, healthy dinner!
Thanks for sharing, Christie!
We love this recipe! I’m actually making it tonight and since my baby is now eating table food, I want to sub brown sugar for the honey since he’s under 1. Would you do a full 1/4 cup of brown sugar or less?
Super good and easy. Liked the fact that they were flavorful but light. I liked the sauce (I did not measure the honey so possibly added less) as iis but added some sambal oelek to add some kick. Would definitely make again.
I’ll have to try that! Sounds yummy!
Delicious recipe, my husband and I loved it! The only thing I’ll modify is less honey next time, it was extremely sweet! I don’t have a sweet tooth so it could just be my preference but I did taste more honey than savory-ness. Definitely will make again!
Thanks for sharing, Emily! Definitely modify to your liking!
Very tasty. But I did need to add some more crumbs. My mixture was way too loose.very good. !! Added a little Srhacha for a kick !
Definitely modify if needed!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was very easy and delicious. I served it with rice and steamed broccoli.
Thanks for sharing, Laura!
For sure making this again. Delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Noreen!
Do you use panko or regular breadcrumbs?
Use whatever you have on hand!
I made them into chicken patties and served them on a bun with the sauce. I will make them into meatballs next time and serve with rice. Delicious and so easy!
Sounds delicious!