Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
Juicy chicken meatballs glazed with a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce — perfect for appetizers, meal prep, or serving over rice.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheet or skillet
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup breadcrumbs use panko or gluten-free crumbs if desired
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger freshly grated
- 2 tbsp green onion chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Teriyaki Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp mirin optional for sweetness
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water (slurry)
- 1 tsp sesame oil for flavor
Optional Garnish
- sesame seeds for topping
- chopped green onions for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C) or heat a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
- In a large bowl, mix ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, and black pepper until combined. Do not overmix.
- Form into 1-inch meatballs and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or directly into the skillet).
- Bake 18–20 minutes (or cook in the skillet until browned and fully cooked).
- Meanwhile, make the teriyaki sauce: in a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, mirin, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce and cook 2–3 minutes until thickened. Stir in sesame oil and remove from heat.
- Toss the cooked meatballs in the warm teriyaki sauce until coated evenly.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve over steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
For meal prep, store meatballs and sauce separately, then reheat and combine before serving. You can swap ground chicken for turkey for a leaner version.