If you're not feeling like cooking something elaborate on a weeknight, but you still want to make sure everyone gets fed as quickly as possible, there's nothing simpler than these Thai chicken meatballs.
You can also whip up a big batch of these meatballs and use them for multiple meals-they are super easy to store, and can serve as a quick base for more complex flavors. They can work wonderfully as an appetizer for your house parties or be an addition to your curries, soups, pasta, and a lot of other dishes if you’re trying to use them for your meals.
Best of all, it takes just a few minutes to make these. Ready to give them a shot? Here’s everything you need to know.
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Thai Chicken Meatballs
If you have found yourself wanting to add more Thai flavors to the menu but aren't sure where to begin, this is a perfect recipe to start with because it has minimal ingredients and is ready in no-time!
What Should I Serve With Thai Chicken Meatballs?
Meatballs make good additions to soup, especially those that need a bit of protein and a filling element! You can even freeze most soups with the meatballs added in. If you’re making the meatball soup ahead of time, make sure that you let it cool before putting it into the freezer, and store the meatballs separately. Then when you want to eat it again, thaw it out, reheat it on the stovetop, then add your meatballs into it.
Meatballs also make good additions to pretty much any spaghetti or pasta sauce- just remember to keep the balls bite-sized.
These Thai chicken meatballs can also be added to fried rice! Throw in a little soy sauce and chopped green onions and toss into the rice before serving.
You can also serve the meatballs with a side of panfried or roasted vegetables like green beans, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, or even carrots or with a nice salad like the Thai Som Tum.
And of course, you can never go wrong with a nice dipping sauce- right? Team it up with a spicy and flavorful dip or a relish (like this red pepper relish) and enjoy hot!
Ingredients For the Meatballs
The list of ingredients for these meatballs is super simple. If you love cooking, you probably already have all of these in your pantry.
- Ground chicken
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Mint leaves
- Coriander leaves
- Fish sauce
- Lime juice
- Brown sugar
- Red chili
- Olive oil
For garnish
- Lime wedges
- Mint sprigs
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large non-stick skillet
- Tongs
- Parchment paper - easy cleanup but not necessary
How to Make the Thai Chicken Meatballs?
In a small bowl, mix together the ground chicken, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, mint, and coriander until well combined.
Create 1" meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined plate. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 30-minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and chopped red chili until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until they are golden and an internal temperature reads 165°F.
Serve hot with dipping sauce, lime, and additional mint.
e beauty of this recipe is that you can use pretty much any meat you prefer, and the flavors will still be spot on. Ground beef and ground turkey are two great choices to opt for if you don’t have chicken.
f you’re looking to make the meatballs healthier, you can definitely bake them instead of pan-frying them. Make sure you line your baking tray with some parchment paper or waxed paper before you place the meatballs on it. You might also need to get the meatballs out a couple of times and turn them to get them nice and brown on all sides.
To prepare these in an air fryer, lightly spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with non-stick spray, then place the meatballs into the basket. Make sure there is ½" between each meatball. Cook at 375°F for 2 minutes, then rotate or flip, and continue cooking for an additional 2 to 5 minutes until cooked or 165°F internally.
Yes! You totally can! One of the best things about these chicken meatballs is that you can make them in a big batch and store them for later. Start by placing the raw meatballs on a baking sheet lined tray, and cover the entire sheet with some plastic wrap. Place this in the freezer for a few hours until the meatballs have frozen, and then get them out. Transfer the meatballs to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them again.
Then, when you want to use them, just get the meatballs out, heat them in the microwave until they turn soft, and use them for your culinary creations.
Leftover meatballs can easily be frozen. Transfer them to a freezer bag or an airtight container and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use them, just put them in some boiling water or broth on your stovetop and heat them until they warm up.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Thai Chicken Meatballs
Think you’ve got it all right? Wait up! Keep these little tips and tricks in mind to nail the recipe!
- To make sure your meatballs are cooked thoroughly, use a digital thermometer. The chicken should be 165 degrees F or more for it to be safe for consumption.
- When mixing all the ingredients into the meatballs, remember to give it just a light mix until all the additions have been incorporated into the minced chicken. Overmixing can make your meatballs tough and chewy, and they won’t have that delicious and juicy flavor that you’re looking for.
- Don’t mind a bit of spice? Sneak some hot sauce into the mix or add in a teaspoon of sriracha.
- To make the meatballs even more flavorful, throw in some chopped spring onions.
Thai Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Ingredients for Thai Chicken Meatballs
- ½ lb Ground chicken
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- ½ tsp Fresh ginger grated
- 1 tsp Kaffir lime leaves chopped
- 1 tsp Mint leaves chopped
- 1 tsp Coriander leaves chopped
- 1 tsp Fish sauce
- 1 tsp Lime juice
- ½ tsp Brown sugar
- 1 tsp Red chili chopped
- 1 tsp Olive oil
Ingredients for garnish
- Lime wedges
- Mint sprigs
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the ground chicken, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, mint, and coriander until well combined.
- Create 1" meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined plate. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 30-minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and chopped red chili until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until they are golden and an internal temperature reads 165°F.
- Serve hot with dipping sauce, lime, and additional mint.
Notes
- May replace the ground chicken with ground turkey, ground pork, or ground beef.
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