Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken (not extra lean — use 90/10 or ask for thigh-based ground chicken for the best moisture)
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced — white and green parts separated (white parts go in the meatballs, green parts for garnish)
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• ⅓ cup water or chicken broth
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water (the slurry that makes the sauce glossy and thick)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 Reserved green onion tops, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray or brush with a thin layer of oil. Set aside.

2. 2

   Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, grated ginger, the white parts of the green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper.

3. 3

   Using your hands or a large fork, mix everything together until just combined. Stop as soon as the ingredients are evenly distributed — do not overwork the mixture. Overmixing compacts the proteins in the ground chicken and produces meatballs that are dense, rubbery, and dry instead of tender and juicy. The mixture will feel sticky and wet — this is normal for ground chicken.

4. 4

   Lightly oil your hands or wet them with cold water — this is the single most important trick for rolling ground chicken meatballs. Ground chicken sticks aggressively to dry hands and makes rolling nearly impossible. Wet or oiled hands allow you to roll cleanly.

5. 5

   Using a cookie scoop or two tablespoons, portion the mixture into equal amounts. Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Each meatball should be roughly 1.5 inches in diameter — about the size of a large marble. Wet your hands again between every few meatballs as needed. Place each finished meatball on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart so air can circulate around all sides.

6. 6

   You should get approximately 18 to 22 meatballs depending on your portioning size. Even sizing matters — meatballs of different sizes will cook at different rates, and the smaller ones will dry out before the larger ones are done.

7. 7

   Bake on the center rack of the preheated 400°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through, lightly golden on the outside, and have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Cut one open to check — it should be completely white with no pink remaining in the center.

8. 8

   While the meatballs bake, make the honey garlic sauce. In a small saucepan or skillet, combine the honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar, water or chicken broth, and sesame oil. Stir everything together and place over medium heat.

9. 9

   Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it bubble lightly for 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic has softened and the flavors have melded. The sauce will still look quite thin at this point — that is correct, the cornstarch slurry thickens it in the next step.

10. 10

    Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir in its cup — cornstarch settles at the bottom quickly. Pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. The sauce will visibly thicken and turn glossy within 30 to 60 seconds. As soon as it coats the back of a spoon and looks like a sticky glaze, remove the pan from heat. Do not overcook at this stage or the sauce will become gummy.

11. 11

    Once the meatballs come out of the oven, transfer them immediately to the skillet or saucepan with the honey garlic sauce. Toss gently using a spoon or silicone spatula to coat every meatball completely. The sauce should cling to each one and look glossy and amber-colored — like the photo.

12. 12

    Pile the glazed meatballs into a serving bowl or container. Scatter the sesame seeds generously over the top — press lightly so they stick to the glaze. Finish with the reserved thinly sliced green onion tops.

13. 13

    Serve immediately over steamed white rice or noodles, or on their own as an appetizer.

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