Description
These mini sweet and spicy sesame chicken meatballs are a flavorful blend of ground chicken, scallions, and a hint of ginger, baked to perfection with a sweet and savory glaze.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lb (about 900 g) ground chicken or turkey
- 6-8 scallions, very finely diced (reserve some for serving)
- 1 small piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (optional)
- 1-2 small Thai chili peppers, very finely minced (or 1 jalapeño, or a pinch of ground red chili)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey, plus more for drizzling at the end
- 3 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds, divided (reserve about 1 1/2 tbsp for rolling and finishing)
- 10 dried apricots (or 1/3 cup dried dates), very finely diced
- Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh flat-leaf parsley, mint, Thai basil, regular basil, or cilantro, chopped
- Neutral oil (such as peanut or vegetable oil), for pan-frying
- Lemon or lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken or turkey, scallions, ginger, chili pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, 2 tbsp of the sesame seeds, dried fruit, salt, and fresh herbs. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Wet your hands with cold water. Scatter the remaining sesame seeds on a plate. Form the mixture into small meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, then roll each briefly in the sesame seeds to coat.
- Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Drizzle with a little extra honey, scatter over the reserved scallions and fresh herbs, and serve with lemon or lime wedges.
Notes
- These meatballs can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days — reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes.
- For a spicier kick, add an extra Thai chili or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the mix.
- Serve with steamed rice or as an appetizer with toothpicks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 95