Sticky, sweet and spicy Asian meatballs! Made with lots of ginger, garlic, sweet chili sauce and spicy sriracha!
You can customise this recipe and use the sauce with any kind of protein: turkey, beef, tofu, salmon or shrimp. You could also make more and use it in a noodle stir fry!
TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS, YOU WILL NEED:
- Ground chicken: you can also use ground beef, pork, turkey, lamb, anything you want. The cooking time may vary depending on which protein you choose.
- Grated ginger: use a 2-cm/1-inch piece of fresh ginger and grate it with a microplane grater.
- Grated garlic: I use about one clove, but follow your heart. Use a microplane grater here as well.
- Salt and pepper
- Breadcrumbs + egg: these act as a binder, you can also soak the breadcrumbs in a bit of milk or water instead of using the egg.
I like to use my hand to “squeeze” the ground meat and the other ingredients together until they’re well combined.
You can bake them in the oven or cook them in a frying pan, searing them on both sides. Some people believe the oven makes them juicier, but I’m happy with both results. Baking them in the oven is a lot easier though: you just pop them in and you can do something else in the meantime.
THE MAIN CHARACTER: THE SAUCE
This is just a sweet chili sauce with some extra spiciness and flavour. All you need is:
- Sweet chili sauce: sweet with a little spiciness.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: for some extra umami.
- Sriracha: for a spicy and garlicky kick. You can add as much as you want.
- Grated ginger: optional, but I think it gives the sauce some more complexity.
EXTRA TIP: this sauce is AMAZING on fresh salmon, I really suggest you try it! Bake it in the oven and serve with some fluffy rice and steamed veggies.
My suggestion is always to CUSTOMIZE the recipe and have fun! You don’t have to make meatballs. Just make the sauce and use it over chicken thighs, salmon fillets, shrimps, vegan meat, fried tofu. The options are endless!
I never want to limit you, I just want to give you the idea and the tools to make you have fun in the kitchen and create your own recipe โฅ
Sweet and Spicy Asian Meatballs
Sticky, sweet and spicy Asian meatballs! You can customise this recipe and use the sauce with any kind of protein: turkey, beef, tofu, salmon or shrimp!
Ingredients
- 600g/1lb ground chicken (or any other protein of choice)
- 1 tsp of grated garlicย
- 1 tsp of grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 tsp of pepper
- 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup of sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup of low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp of sriracha
- 1 tsp of grated ginger
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for the meatballs: ground chicken or protein of choice, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper, breadcrumbs and egg. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is well-combined and you're able to shape it into a meatball.
- Using a small spring-loaded scoop, or your hands, form to meatballs onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 190°C/375°F for 10-12 minutes. You can also cook them on the stove in a frying pan if you prefer (about 3 minutes per side).
- To make the sauce, mix all the ingredients, then taste it and adjust the seasoning if you think it needs it. Pour it in a frying pan over medium heat and let the sauce reduce slightly for about 2 minutes. If you cooked the meatballs on the stove, use the same frying pan. Add in the meatballs, stir and serve with some fluffy rice, green onions and sesame seeds!
