Description
Delicious Firecracker Chicken Meatballs baked to perfection and coated in a flavorful, spicy firecracker sauce. This easy recipe features tender meatballs made from ground chicken, infused with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, then baked and simmered in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sriracha-based sauce. Perfect for a main course served with rice and veggies or as a tasty appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken, turkey or beef
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or microplaned
- 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced or microplaned
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Firecracker Sauce Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or microplaned
- 1 tsp ginger, finely minced or microplaned
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
Optional Toppings
- fresh lime wedges
- fresh cilantro or scallions
- chili oil crunch or sesame seeds
- rice and veggies for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, whisked egg, olive oil, panko breadcrumbs, minced garlic, soy sauce, ginger, onion powder, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
- Form Meatballs: Using your hands or a 2-tablespoon scoop, portion out rounded tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly roll them to shape, aiming to make about 20 meatballs.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring they are fully cooked through.
- Prepare Sauce: While the meatballs bake, whisk together all the sauce ingredients—garlic, ginger, low sodium soy sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, and rice vinegar—in a small bowl until well-combined.
- Simmer Sauce: Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Once the meatballs are baked, add them to the saucepan with the simmered sauce, coating them evenly and warming them through for a few minutes.
- Serve: Serve the firecracker meatballs hot, garnished with optional fresh lime wedges, cilantro or scallions, chili oil crunch or sesame seeds, alongside rice and your favorite veggies.
Notes
- A 2 tbsp cookie scoop lightly filled works well for portioning meatballs.
- Cooked meatballs may be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the sauce.
- For a spicier kick, increase the amount of sriracha or add chili oil as a topping.
- Ground turkey or beef can be used as alternatives to ground chicken.
- Ensure the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
