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Delicious, flavorful Thai chicken meatballs seasoned with ginger, garlic, chili, cilantro, and fish sauce and smothered in creamy tomato coconut sauce – this recipe is a winner! If you’re a fan of Thai flavors as I am, you’ll love this meal! Plus, who would say no to juicy meatballs anyway? 🙂
Thai Chicken Meatballs
I love Thai flavors and I love meatballs! So it was only natural to create these gorgeous chicken meatballs inspired by Thai cuisine. They are bursting with flavor! 🙂
To bring this dish to the next level, I combined my meatballs with rich, creamy tomato coconut sauce and rice. This combination is seriously tasty! I love it!
If you’re wondering what to cook for dinner tonight, look no further! These beautiful Thai chicken meatballs are the best!
What you need
I’m using quite ordinary Thai-inspired ingredients for this dish. Nothing that you couldn’t find in a supermarket! 🙂
Here’s what you will need for the chicken meatballs:
- Ground (mince) chicken or turkey – you can also use pork instead of chicken, but I think that poultry works the best here. Plus, it’s healthier!
- Garlic, ginger, chili, onion – basics. I used Peruvian spicy aji limo for this recipe, but you can use any chili pepper you like. Adjust the amount to your taste!
- Fish sauce – if necessary, you can use all-purpose or light soy sauce instead, but I strongly recommend using good-quality fish sauce.
- Fresh cilantro and basil
- Lime zest – just a bit! You can also use lemon zest.
- Lemongrass – fresh or in a paste. Although a bit of dried lemongrass will do too.
- Sugar
- Egg
- Breadcrumbs
And here’s what you will need for tomato coconut sauce:
- A can of coconut milk – no low-fat, please!
- Passata (tomato puree) – or a can of chopped tomatoes.
- Red curry paste
- Fish sauce
- Lime juice
- Sugar
- Fresh basil – or cilantro
How to make Thai meatballs with coconut sauce
Frying or baking? It’s totally up to you. I often fry my meatballs, but honestly speaking, baking chicken meatballs is easier and less messy. Don’t worry, they will be juicy!
Here’s what I do:
- I shape the meatballs using the ice cream scoop. I try to keep my hands wet (with cold water) as it’s easier to shape the meatballs.
- I pre-heat the oven.
- I place the meatballs on the baking rack or tray. I drizzle them with oil (or spray with cooking spray if I have some) and pop them into the oven.
- 20-25 minutes later golden, juicy meatballs are ready!
While the meatballs are baking I cook the rice and make the sauce. Making the sauce is super easy and takes just a few steps.
Here’s how to make the tomato coconut sauce:
- In a larger pot or pan, fry red curry paste for a moment.
- Add coconut milk, tomato puree, fish sauce, and sugar.
- Simmer everything for around 15 minutes on low heat – until the sauce is creamy.
- Taste and season with more fish sauce/sugar/red curry paste if needed.
- Add carefully cooked meatballs and simmer everything together for 2 minutes.
- Top with chopped fresh basil or cilantro.
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AuthorEwaCategoryAsian, Chicken, Quick dinnerDifficultyIntermediateDelicious Thai meatballs seasoned with ginger, garlic, chili, cilantro, and fish sauce and smothered in creamy tomato coconut sauce - this recipe is a winner! If you're a fan of Thai flavors as I am, you'll love this meal! Plus, who would say no to juicy chicken meatballs anyway? 🙂
Click on the servings to scale the recipe to your needs.
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In all my recipes 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml, 1 tablespoon equals 15 ml, 1 cup equals 250 ml. Spoons and cups are lightly packed.
In a big bowl mix together with a hand all meatballs ingredients except oil - ground chicken, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, chopped basil and cilantro, grated ginger, grated onion, chopped chili, lemongrass, lime zest, egg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius degrees.
With a ice cream scoop and hands (wet) shape small meatballs.
Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and drizzle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
Bake the meatballs for around 25 minutes, until golden, soft, and juicy.
In a large pot or pan, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium-low heat and fry red curry paste with sugar for a moment, until melted and bubbling.
Add coconut milk, tomato puree, fish sauce, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Simmer for around 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens a bit and is nicely creamy.
Taste and season with more fish sauce/red curry paste/lime juice etc. if needed.
Carefully transfer cooked meatballs and simmer together for 2 minutes more.
Top with fresh, chopped basil or cilantro.
Serve with rice!
Ingredients
Directions
In a big bowl mix together with a hand all meatballs ingredients except oil - ground chicken, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, chopped basil and cilantro, grated ginger, grated onion, chopped chili, lemongrass, lime zest, egg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius degrees.
With a ice cream scoop and hands (wet) shape small meatballs.
Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and drizzle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
Bake the meatballs for around 25 minutes, until golden, soft, and juicy.
In a large pot or pan, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium-low heat and fry red curry paste with sugar for a moment, until melted and bubbling.
Add coconut milk, tomato puree, fish sauce, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Simmer for around 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens a bit and is nicely creamy.
Taste and season with more fish sauce/red curry paste/lime juice etc. if needed.
Carefully transfer cooked meatballs and simmer together for 2 minutes more.
Top with fresh, chopped basil or cilantro.
Serve with rice!
Pin for later
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Oh how I LOVE meatballs! Looking forward to trying this in the future.
I love how every time I see one of your recipes I think – wow that’s so unusual but I’d absolutely love to try it! This is no exception.
Such a gorgeous color! I love anything Thai and coconut.
Thank you for sharing w us at Creative Muster! Pinned 🙂
Blessings to you xoxoxo Sharon @ Adoring Creations
I love Thai food and the flavours within. Always fresh and with a hit of spice. These look really tasty and easy to make that I will certainly give them a try. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle
I love anything with this particular combination of flavors, definitely pinning for future dinners. I might swap out the breadcrumbs for something gluten free… Thank you for bringing them to FF.
Your recipes look enticing. Of the ones you posted to day, this is one I may try.
another fab recipe ..thank you. Im not able to have soy sauce or fish sauce so I use coconut animes. I think this one will be tonights dinner. Heading to the shops later and will get all the ingredients to make. #SeniSal
Oh wow, I think my 6 year old would love this dish! He loves when I make sweet and sour meatballs (he calls it his special sauce) and he loves rice. This is a nice variation to try. Thanks for sharing and linking up.
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Thanks for sharing at the Fabulous Friday Linky Party Ewa! Have a lovely weekend!
I don’t eat meat or poultry so the meatballs wouldn’t appeal but the sauce sounds delicious and I think would work just as well with tofu pieces or quorn.
Thanks!
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This looks delicious, Ewa. I really love Thai inspired flavors, and these meatballs I need to try!
Thank you for sharing and linking up with us on the Homestead Blog Hop!
-Cherelle
Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe at Vintage Charm!
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