Korean-Inspired BBQ Chicken Meatballs
Servings: 35 Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Chicken Meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground chicken preferably ground chicken thigh
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs I use Aleia GF panko
For the Korean-Inspired BBQ Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1- inch knob ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ cup gochujang paste
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 to 4 teaspoons tapioca flour
For Serving:
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 2 green onions thinly sliced on the diagonal
- toothpicks
Instructions
Make the Chicken Meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (Convection Bake) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with avocado oil spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the chicken meatball ingredients. Mix until just combined. Roll into 1-inch round meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until just cooked through and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, Make the Korean-Inspired BBQ Sauce:
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sesame oil, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, being careful not to burn, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the gochujang, coconut aminos, chicken broth, vinegar, coconut sugar, and honey and whisk until well combined. Bring to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 8 minutes. If the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low to ensure it has a steady simmer.
- In a small bowl, combine 3 teaspoons of tapioca flour with 2 tablespoons of warm water and whisk to combine to make a slurry.
- While stirring the sauce, slowly pour in the slurry. Continue to cook, simmering, until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 5 more minutes. If it’s not looking thick enough, make 1 more slurry by combining the remaining 1 teaspoon of tapioca with 1 tbsp of water, add to the sauce and continue to simmer until thick and glossy. Remove from heat and set aside until the meatballs are done.
Finish the Meatballs:
- When the meatballs have just cooked through, remove from the oven. Drizzle the meatballs with ½ cup of the sauce and use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the meatballs so that they are evenly coated on the tops. Transfer back into the oven and bake so that sauce kind of caramelizes on top of the meatballs, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and pour the remaining sauce over the meatballs so that they are all coated in the sauce. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and garnish with the scallions. Serve with toothpicks and enjoy!
Notes
Alternate Serving Options: While these are great for an appetizer, they are also delicious served in bowls with steamed rice or cauliflower rice as a dinner option!