These meatballs are moist, juicy, perfectly sized to munch-on. They’re crunchy and rustic looking on the outside, but incredibly soft on the inside, with the lovely mint and coriander marrying beautifully giving them lots of fresh flavor. The best thing about these are that the food processor does all the work for you so you don’t have to work out a sweat at all.
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Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Description
These Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs are crunchy on the outside and incredibly soft on the inside, infused with fresh mint and coriander flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken thigh or breast mince
- 1 small onion
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) yoghurt
- 2 tsp crushed ginger
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 green chillies (jalapenos), chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh coriander, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh mint, chopped
- Semolina, for coating
- Oil, for deep frying
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the chicken mince, onion, yoghurt, crushed ginger, crushed garlic, chopped green chillies, fresh coriander, and fresh mint. Blend until well mixed.
- Shape the mixture into small round balls.
- Roll each meatball in semolina until evenly coated.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 350°F (175°C).
- Deep fry the meatballs in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per batch.
- Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot with tomato ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- For a healthier version, you can bake the meatballs in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes.
- These meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven or on a skillet for best results.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce the number of green chillies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 70
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is semolina used for the coating instead of breadcrumbs?
Rolling each meatball in semolina before frying gives them a crunchy, rustic exterior — semolina’s coarser grain crisps up more aggressively than fine breadcrumbs, which is what creates that contrast between the crunchy outside and the soft, moist interior.
Can I bake these instead of deep frying?
Yes — place the semolina-coated meatballs in a 400°F (200°C) oven for about 20 minutes. The crust won’t be quite as crunchy as deep-fried, but the interior will be just as juicy.
Why use a food processor for the meatball mixture rather than mixing by hand?
The food processor does all the work for you — it blends the chicken mince, onion, yoghurt, ginger, garlic, chillies, and ½ cup each of coriander and mint together until thoroughly mixed. This ensures an even distribution of the herbs and spices throughout every meatball without the overworking that hand-mixing can cause.
I have never had chicken meatballs. They sound interesting in a good way. Love I love coriander too, thanks for the share.
Wow, deep fried meatballs! You don’t get much better than that. :) Sounds amazing!