Sticky Asian Chicken Meatballs

4.86 from 7 votes

These baked Asian chicken meatballs are the ultimate comfort food - juicy chicken meatballs packed with flavor and smothered in a sticky, refined sugar-free sauce. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal and pairs beautifully with rice or cauliflower rice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Meat Chilling Time15

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: baked chicken meatballs recipe, paleo chicken meatballs, sticky asian meatballs, whole30 asian meatballs, whole30 chicken meatballs, whole30 meatballs

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken or turkey
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
2 garlic cloves minced
1 egg
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Sticky Sauce

1/3 cup coconut aminos
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Medjool dates pits removed
2 garlic cloves
1/2 inch ginger
1 tsp tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients for the meatballs (except green onions & sesame seeds) in a mixing bowl, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
1 lb ground chicken, 1/4 cup minced onion, 1/4 cup tapioca starch, 2 garlic cloves, 1 egg, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Generously grease your hands and roll into golf-sized balls (about 20 meatballs). Place on the parchment lined baking sheet without touching each other and bake for 15 minutes.
Once the chicken meatballs are done baking, blend together all ingredients for sauce until smooth and creamy.
1/3 cup coconut aminos, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 Medjool dates, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 inch ginger, 1 tsp tapioca starch, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Transfer to a saucepan and heat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and turn to coat and heat through. Remove from heat add serve warm, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
Sliced green onions and sesame seeds

Notes

Using a cookie scoop to scoop your meatballs ensures evenly sized meatballs that cook at the same rate - plus, it makes the process faster and less messy!

Blend the sauce until smooth, then let it simmer long enough to thicken slightly before tossing it with the meatballs for that perfect sticky coating.
Store leftover meatballs in the fridge in an airtight container or a large bowl covered with tinfoil or plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.

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