Chicken Meatballs in a Creamy Peanut Sauce: Need I Say More?

Meatballs go down as one of the most versatile meals of all time. Think about all the variations of meatballs you can make; beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc. Then, add all the flavors you can add to each variety. There’s basically a meatball for every single palate. And, for all of you who favor creamy, peanut buttery, gingery flavors, you’re going to absolutely love these chicken meatballs.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase any items through these links. Any products I recommend, I genuinely love and want to share with you all.

Shop the post

---

Aside from how versatile meatballs are, can we talk about how easy they are to get on the table? And, when you have to feed a crowd, there’s not a more effortless way. That’s exactly what I love about these Thai inspired chicken meatballs. The meatballs are cooked on a sheet pan (here’s my favorite one) in only about 12 minutes. And, while they cook, you’re making the sauce — talk about multitasking. Everything comes together in just under 30 minutes.

Chicken meatball recipe

Just the way you would make any other meatballs, you’ll start by prepping all your ingredients by mixing them together in a large bowl. The flavors I incorporated in this recipe reflect a lot of very traditional Thai flavors; the ginger, lime, peanut , soy sauce– they compliment each other so perfectly. Despite how creamy this dish is, there’s actually NO HEAVY CREAM in it. The creaminess simply comes from the peanut butter.

I didn’t add any heat to this recipe, so if you like a little cayenne, go ahead and sprinkle some in there. After all, that’s the beauty of cooking, you can make each dish to your liking.

Just one tip – as you mix all the ingredients, toss together enough to incorporate but don’t over mix.

• 

• 

How to bake meatballs

Before I baked my first meatballs, I was a little skeptical as to how the outside would turn out. I was nervous they’d be mushy on the outside and not as krisp-y as they do when they’re seared on a cast iron or sauté pan. I WAS SO WRONG. Baking the meatballs in a sheet pan at a high temperature does the exact opposite. They come out beyond krisp-y on the outside which adds such texture to these meatballs.

When you end up making this meatball recipe, be sure to let me know what you think and tag me on Instagram @KrispxKristin.

Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Meatballs

Yield: 16 - 18 meatballs

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Print

Ingredients

Make the meatballs

• 1lb of ground chicken
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced finely 
• 1 tsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup (2 tbsp) of soy sauce 
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger 

Make the sauce

• 1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely diced 
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced 
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger 
• 1 tbsp red curry paste 
• 3/4 cup of chicken stock 
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter (smooth, not chunky)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Prep your sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Make your meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, mix together all your meatball ingredients. Mix until all ingredients are just about incorporated. Do not over mix.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, or large spoon, scoop meatballs onto sheet pan spacing meatballs a few inches apart.
5. Place in oven for 12 minutes.
6. Make your sauce: While the chicken is cooking, on low to medium heat, add olive oil to a large sauté pan (use a cast iron if you have it). Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes or until shallots start to sweat.
7. Add your garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
8. Add in the red curry paste, chicken stock, and soy sauce. Let cook for about 1 minute
9. Finally, add your peanut butter and cook down until all ingredients are incorporated.
10. When meatballs are cooked, add them to your sauce and cover meatballs in peanut sauce.