There’s something wonderfully comforting about these **Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe** — the way the sweet and spicy glaze clings to tender chicken bites is pure magic. They’re the perfect mix of cozy and zesty, ideal for family dinners or when you want a fuss-free, flavor-packed meal.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I adore this Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe because it’s packed with fresh flavors and textures that feel both vibrant and familiar. Plus, it’s a total win for anyone wanting a quick, crowd-pleasing dish that impresses without any stress.
- Simplicity: You don’t need a long list of complicated ingredients to create deep, rich flavors here.
- Healthier Choice: Made with ground chicken and almond flour, this recipe keeps things lighter but full of taste.
- Flavor Harmony: The ginger and coconut aminos bring a wonderful umami balance with just the right kick of heat.
- Versatility: Perfect for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or scaled up for entertaining — leftovers taste even better!
Ingredients & Why They Work
Every ingredient in this Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe plays a unique role in building layers of flavor and texture. Choosing fresh herbs and quality pantry staples elevates the dish and makes all the difference.
- Ground chicken: A lean, tender base that absorbs the flavors of the aromatic spices beautifully.
- Almond flour: Acts as a binder without adding heaviness or gluten, plus it adds a subtle nutty note.
- Fresh ginger: Delivers that signature warm, zesty bite essential for the ‘sticky ginger’ character.
- Fresh basil: Adds a sweet, aromatic freshness that balances the savory and sweet glaze.
- Grated carrot: Sneaks in moisture and a touch of natural sweetness, making the meatballs juicy.
- Green onion: Brings slight sharpness and texture contrast inside each meatball.
- Garlic powder: Enhances warmth and depth without overpowering the other flavors.
- Coconut aminos: This is my go-to umami-packed substitute for soy sauce, less salty, and a touch sweeter.
- Fish sauce: A small splash amps up the savoriness for true depth.
- Sriracha: Adjustable heat to suit your spice preference, giving the glaze that pleasantly spicy kick.
- Salt and pepper: The basic seasoning duo that rounds everything out perfectly.
- Honey: Sweetens the glaze naturally and helps create that irresistible sticky coating.
- Rice vinegar: Adds necessary brightness and balances the sweetness.
- Sesame oil: Nutty richness that brings everything full circle with a polished finish.
Make It Your Way
One of the best things about this Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe? It’s easily customizable! I love to tweak the heat level or swap in fresh herbs depending on what’s on hand.
- Add some zest: Sometimes I swap out basil for fresh cilantro for a brighter twist that pairs beautifully with the glaze.
- Mild version: If chasing less spice, I trim back the sriracha but keep the depth from fish sauce and ginger.
- Make it gluten-free: This recipe already skips gluten with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, making it easy for sensitive diets.
- Mini meatballs: For parties, making smaller meatballs is a hit — they cook faster and are great for finger food.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Step 1: Mixing the Perfect Meatball Mixture
Start by combining all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl — ground chicken, almond flour, ginger, basil, carrot, green onion, garlic powder, coconut aminos, fish sauce, sriracha, salt, and pepper. The key here is to mix gently until just combined, so the meatballs stay tender. Over-mixing can make them tough, which you definitely want to avoid.
Step 2: Forming Meatballs Without the Mess
I coat my hands with a little avocado oil before rolling to prevent sticking — trust me, this little trick saves you a lot of fuss! Shape the mixture into about 2-inch meatballs and place them spaced out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Baking to Juicy Perfection
Bake the meatballs at 400°F for 25 minutes. Towards the end, broil them for just 1-2 minutes to get that gorgeous golden crust. Keep a close eye during broiling — it can go from perfect to burnt really fast!
Step 4: Simmering Down the Glaze
While the meatballs bake, whisk together the glaze ingredients — coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, ginger, garlic powder, and sesame oil — in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Let it simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes. It’s going to smell incredible, so have a napkin ready to wipe your drool!
Step 5: The Grand Toss
Drop the baked meatballs into the warm glaze and gently toss them until beautifully coated. This step is what turns simple meatballs into a sticky, flavor-packed sensation. Serve them over jasmine rice with some steamed broccoli, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top for a bit of crunch and visual appeal.
Top Tip
After making this Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe a dozen times, I’ve learned a few tricks that really help nail the texture and flavor every time.
- Keep it light: Don’t overwork the meat mixture to keep your meatballs tender and juicy, which is crucial when using lean chicken.
- Hands oiled, always: Coating your hands with oil before shaping prevents sticking and lets you shape the meatballs smoothly.
- Watch the broil: Broiling is quick, so watch carefully to get a golden finish without burning.
- Simmer glaze gently: Keep the glaze at low heat to thicken evenly without burning the honey.
How to Serve Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Garnishes
I always sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top for that added toasty crunch. Sometimes I add a handful of fresh chopped cilantro or thinly sliced green onions for extra color and fresh notes—it makes the dish pop on your plate.
Side Dishes
This recipe pairs beautifully with fragrant jasmine rice, steamed or roasted broccoli (my favorite!), or even a crisp Asian slaw for some refreshing crunch. If I’m feeling indulgent, I serve it with some coconut rice for a subtle creamy sweetness that balances the spicy glaze.
Creative Ways to Present
For fun gatherings, I’ve served these meatballs on wooden skewers with extra glaze on the side for dipping — instant crowd-pleaser. You can also build noodle bowls with vermicelli or rice noodles topped with these meatballs for a special treat.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keeping the glaze separate until reheating helps maintain their texture. When ready to eat, I warm them gently in a pan with the glaze stirred in to bring back that glossy finish.
Freezing
These meatballs freeze wonderfully! I freeze them on a tray first, then transfer to freezer bags. When you want to enjoy them, just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat with the glaze on the stovetop — just like fresh.
Reheating
I prefer reheating the meatballs gently on the stove in a skillet with a bit of additional glaze or water to keep them moist. It’s much better than microwaving, which tends to dry them out and dull the texture.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! You can prepare and bake the meatballs in advance, store them in the fridge, and reheat with the glaze just before serving. It makes dinner even quicker on busy nights.
If you don’t have almond flour, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed pork rinds to keep the meatballs tender and bind the mixture, but almond flour gives the best subtle nutty flavor.
The sriracha adds a gentle warmth, but you can adjust the amount to your preferred heat level — use less for mild and more if you want a bold kick. The glaze balances sweetness to tone down the spice nicely.
Yes! Baking is actually how I recommend making these Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe. It’s less messy, hands-off, and produces tender, evenly cooked meatballs with a nice golden finish when you broil at the end.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe has become one of my go-to meals when I want a delicious, fuss-free dish that feels special. It combines warmth, sweetness, and just the right touch of heat in a way that brings everyone around the table smiling. I hope you give it a try soon — you’ll love how easy it is to make and how much flavor it packs. Just remember to keep those hands oiled for fuss-free shaping and don’t rush the glaze—it’s what makes these meatballs truly unforgettable!
Print
Sticky Ginger Chicken Meatballs Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Sticky Glazed Chicken Ginger Meatballs are a flavorful and healthy dish featuring juicy ground chicken meatballs baked to perfection and coated in a sweet and tangy ginger glaze. Served over jasmine rice with steamed or roasted broccoli and garnished with sesame seeds, this recipe offers a delicious balance of savory, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors perfect for a satisfying dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ⅓ cup carrot, grated (about 1 large carrot)
- ¼ cup green onion (white and green parts), thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
For Serving:
- Prepared rice (such as jasmine rice)
- Steamed or roasted broccoli
- Sesame seeds, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, almond flour, grated ginger, chopped basil, grated carrot, sliced green onions, garlic powder, coconut aminos, fish sauce, sriracha, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined to maintain a tender texture.
- Form Meatballs: Using damp hands coated with avocado oil to prevent sticking, shape the mixture into 2-inch meatballs.
- Bake Meatballs: Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until cooked through. Then broil for 1 to 2 minutes to achieve a golden brown finish.
- Prepare Glaze: While the meatballs bake, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, combine the coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, grated ginger, garlic powder, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer, letting the glaze reduce and thicken to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Coat Meatballs in Glaze: Remove cooked meatballs from oven and add them to the skillet with the glaze. Toss gently to coat each meatball thoroughly, then remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve the sticky glazed meatballs over prepared jasmine rice, alongside steamed or roasted broccoli. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for an added crunch and flavor.
Notes
- You can double the recipe easily as the meatballs keep well the next day. Reheat them along with the glaze on a pan until warmed through.
- Coating your hands with avocado oil before forming the meatballs prevents sticking and makes shaping easier.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha in the meatballs and glaze to control the spiciness according to your preference.
- Fresh ginger greatly enhances the flavor, but ground ginger can be substituted if necessary, using about ½ teaspoon per tablespoon fresh.
- Almond flour helps bind the meatballs while keeping them gluten free; ground pork rinds or gluten free breadcrumbs can also be used if almond flour is unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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