Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs
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These Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs are easy to make, super juicy and full of the BEST Thai flavors! They’re delicious as a party appetizer or main dish with steamed rice and terrific for meal prep too!
Spicy, savory and full of fragrant Thai herbs and aromatics. These flavor-packed Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs are super easy to make, incredibly juicy and DELICIOUS!
They’re great as a party appetizer, meal prep friendly for easy lunches and freezer friendly to boot.
All you need is ground chicken, a handful of everyday aromatics like garlic, ginger, shallots, a few Thai herbs, pantry spices and seasoning sauces to make them.
They’re also mostly low-effort and easy to whip up since the oven takes care of the cooking. All you need to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl, roll the meatballs, then pop them in the oven to bake. Plate and sprinkle a little coriander and sliced chili on top to make it look pretty.
Then just serve up these Thai chicken meatballs with sweet chili sauce or peanut sauce on the side for dipping. They’re guaranteed to be a hit at your next party!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make. All you need to do is smash the aromatics, mix and shape the meatballs and bake!
- JUICY and tasty! They’re super tender, juicy and SO DELICIOUS!
- Incredibly flavorful. Smashing the aromatics releases their oils and makes their flavors more pronounced and delicious in the chicken meatballs.
- Meal prep friendly. Make a batch on a Sunday and enjoy them in salads, sandwiches, or with rice as a main dish.
- Great for a party appetizer. Serve them with Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping as a party snack or Super Bowl snack.
- Customizable protein. You can use ground chicken, pork, turkey or beef.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Ground Chicken: Use lean ground chicken meat.
- Seasonings: Ground white pepper, fish sauce, low sodium light soy sauce, and a splash of sesame oil for toasted sesame aromas. If you’re using regular light soy sauce – not low sodium, use a little less.
- Garlic: I’ve used Thai garlic which is stronger in flavor, but any type of garlic works.
- Asian Red Shallots: Or use a quarter of a medium red onion if unavailable.
- Fresh Thai Bird’s Eye Red Chilies: Feel free to adjust the quantity to taste and use less or more depending on your heat level preference. You can use other hot red chilies instead too.
- Lemongrass Stalks: Find fresh lemongrass in an Asian supermarket or Thai grocery store. Or substitute with lemongrass paste, which is available in the fridge section of most mainstream supermarkets.
- Makrut Lime Leaves: Also known as kaffir lime leaves, this Thai herb is incredibly fragrant with a citrusy aroma. Look for them in a Thai grocery store or substitute with the ground dried version.
- Coriander (Cilantro) Roots: This is the bottom of the coriander root bunch inclusive of the hairy root end of the stem. It’s often used in Thai cooking to add flavor and it has a different flavor from the leaves. If the coriander you purchase comes with roots already chopped off, use the stem parts instead.
- Egg: Lightly beaten so that it’s easier to evenly incorporate.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: A Japanese type of soft breadcrumbs. It’s used to help bind everything together and make the meatballs less dense and moister.
- To Serve (optional): I like to serve these Thai chicken meatballs with a sprinkle of chopped coriander, sliced red chilies and store-bought Thai sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping. You can use a homemade Thai sweet chili sauce if you like.
Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs
1. Smash the aromatics. Using a mortar and pestle (affiliate link), pound the shallots, garlic, ginger, red chilies and coriander roosts into a coarse paste. (If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, finely chop them instead.)
2. Combine the meatballs ingredients. In a large mixing bowl (affiliate link), combine all the meatball ingredients in. Mix either using your hands or with a large spoon until smooth and combined well.
3. Measure and roll. Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to measure and dollop the mixture onto a nonstick cooking paper lined cutting board. (This way it’s much quicker to roll them all at once instead of repeatedly dipping into the bowl and shaping.) Then roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced apart on a lightly greased parchment paper/nonstick cooking paper (or aluminum foil) lined large baking tray.
4. Bake. Bake for 28-30 minutes in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F until lightly browned.
Serve! Transfer to a plate and sprinkle chopped coriander and sliced chili on top. Serve warm with Thai sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping. You can also serve these meatballs with peanut sauce instead.
Or check out the recipe for my Thai sweet chili peanut sauce which I serve with my Baked Spicy Chicken Meatballs to get the best of both worlds in one EPIC sauce!
You can also enjoy them with steamed rice, cooked rice vermicelli tossed and chili garlic sauce, and in sandwiches, salads or wraps too.
Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook’s Tips
- Rub a little oil on your hands before rolling the meatballs. It makes them easier to roll without the meat mixture sticking to your hands too much.
- Make a double batch and freeze to enjoy later. They’re great to have on hand for a quick and easy to reheat party appetizer or easy lunches.
- Adjust spice level to taste. Feel free to use less or omit the fresh Thai red chilies if you’d like to make these Thai chicken meatballs milder.
FAQs
Yes! These chicken meatballs freeze incredibly well and will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
Shape the meatballs annd place them on a baking tray. Pop the tray in the freezer and freeze until the meatballs are solid. Transfer to a freezer friendly bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw first briefly in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Do this in batches on a plate so that they don’t stick to each other. Then line up the meatballs on a lightly greased foil or parchment paper lined tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 28-30 minutes.
Line a sealable airtight container with aluminum foil and place the meatballs in it. Use sheets of foil between the meatball layers. Cover and freeze for up to three months. You can also just pop them in a freezer friendly zipper bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave for 30 second to 1 minute on high until hot throughout.
Yes! Preheat the air fryer at 200°C/400°F for 3 minutes. Line the basket with a sheet of aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil (or lightly brush the foil with oil). Place the meatballs on it and air fry for 10 minutes, then flip the meatballs and air-fry for another 6-8 minutes until cooked. Use a digital kitchen thermometer to ensure that the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and are cooked. Transfer to a plate and then air fry the next batch.
Variations
- Make them gluten-free. Use a gluten-free low sodium light soy sauce and bread crumbs. Make sure that the fish and Thai sweet chili sauce you’re using doesn’t have any hidden wheat ingredients.
- Make it keto. Use keto bread crumbs and serve with a keto friendly dipping sauce.
- Use a different protein. Ground turkey, pork, or beef would taste great! For ground turkey and chicken meatballs, the internal temperature after cooking should be 74°C/165°F. They require 28-30 minutes in the oven. Use a digital kitchen thermometer to check the temperature. Pork and beef are cooked once the internal temperature reaches 63°C/145°F and the meatballs only need to be baked for about 18-20 minutes.
- Make it vegetarian. You can try using a plant-based ground meat substitute such as Beyond Beef or Impossible Pork. Use more low sodium light soy sauce in place of the fish sauce.
More Meatball Recipes
More Party Appetizers
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PrintBaked Thai Chicken Meatballs
These Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs are easy to make, super juicy and full of the BEST Thai flavors! They’re delicious as a party appetizer or main dish with steamed rice and terrific for meal prep too!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 28
- Total Time: 43 minutes
- Yield: 26 meatballs 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Ingredients
- 45 grams / 3 small Asian Red Shallots (or use ¼ medium red onion) – peeled, roughly chopped
- 35 grams / 4 Garlic cloves – peeled, roughly chopped
- 20 grams / 1-inch piece Ginger – peeled, roughly chopped
- 16 grams / 1 – 6 fresh Red Chilies (Thai Bird’s Eye or any other small hot red chilies – note 1), to taste – destemmed, roughly chopped
- 9 grams / 3 Coriander (Cilantro) Roots – roughly chopped (or use 6 coriander stems)
- 2 Lemongrass Stalks – outer tough layers removed, finely minced (or use 2 tablespoons lemongrass paste)
- 3 grams / 3 Makrut Lime Leaves (note 2 – substitute with ground dried makrut/kaffir lime leaves) – destemmed, finely minced into a powder
- 1 large Egg – lightly beaten
- 500 grams / 1.1 pounds ground Chicken
- 40 grams / about ¾ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 TSP ground White Pepper
- 1 TBLS Fish Sauce
- 1 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
- 1 TSP Sesame Oil
- 1 TBLS Canola Oil (or other neutral oil or cooking oil spray, for brushing/spraying on foil and rolling meatballs)
- To Serve (optional): Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, chopped coriander or spring onion (green onion/scallion), sliced red chilies, steamed rice
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Prepare the Asian red shallots, garlic, ginger, red chilies, coriander roots, lemongrass stalks and makrut lime leaves as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Crack the egg into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork.
- Oven prep: Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper/nonstick cooking paper or aluminum foil and lightly brush with a little canola oil. (Or you can use cooking oil spray and lightly spray with oil.)
- Smash the aromatics: Using a mortar and pestle, pound the shallots, garlic, ginger, red chilies and coriander roosts into a coarse paste. (If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, finely chop them instead.)
- Make the meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, smashed aromatics paste, finely minced lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, ground white pepper, fish sauce, low sodium light soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix using your hands or with a large spoon until combined well. Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to measure and dollop the mixture onto a nonstick cooking paper lined large cutting board. Lightly rub a little oil on the palms and inner finger parts. Roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced apart on the prepared tray.
- Bake: Place the tray on the center rack of the over and bake for 28-30 minutes, until lightly browned.
- To Serve: Serve warm as a party appetizer garnished with chopped coriander or spring onion, sliced red chilies and Thai sweet chili sauce on the side. Or enjoy with steamed rice, in sandwiches, cooked rice vermicelli tossed and chili garlic sauce.
Notes
- Fresh red chilies. Adjust quantity to taste depending on your heat level preference. You can also omit the chilies completely to make the meatballs mild.
- Makrut lime leaves. Also known as kaffir lime leaves, this Thai herb is incredibly fragrant with a citrusy aroma. Look for them in a Thai grocery store or substitute with the ground dried version.
- Storing leftovers. These chicken meatballs will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed airtight container in the fridge. Reheat for 30-40 seconds on high in the microwave until hot throughout.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs. Shape the meatballs and place them on a baking tray. Pop the tray in the fridge and freeze until solid. Then transfer to freezer friendly bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw first briefly in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Do this in batches on a plate so that they don’t stick to each other. Then line up the meatballs on a lightly greased foil or parchment paper lined tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 28-30 minutes.
- To freeze baked meatballs. Line a sealable airtight container with aluminum foil and place the meatballs in it. Use sheets of foil between the meatball layers. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also just pop them in a freezer friendly zipper bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave for 30 second to 1 minute on high until hot throughout.
- To cook in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer at 200°C/400°F for 3 minutes. Line the basket with a sheet of aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil (or lightly brush the foil with oil). Place the meatballs on it and air fry for 10 minutes, then flip the meatballs and air-fry for another 6-8 minutes until cooked. Use a digital kitchen thermometer to ensure that they’ve reached an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and are cooked. Transfer to a plate and air fry the next batch.
- See ‘Variations’ section in the post above to customize these Thai chicken meatballs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 53
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 125.8mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 23.7mg
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