Sticky Sweet Chicken Meatballs

These sticky sweet chicken meatballs are oven baked and then coated in a honey balsamic reduction. They are easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes.

This recipe is excellent for meal prep. They store and reheat really well.

They pair well with rice and brussels sprouts. The sauce has a sweet balance of balsamic, honey, and ginger.

what I love about sticky sweet chicken meatballs

• meal prep – this recipe makes an excellent meal prep. Not only does it store well, but it also reheats well too. You don’t end up with dry chicken.
• flavor – the flavor combination is incredible! The balsamic & honey come together to make a sweetened balsamic flavor.
• easy to make – there are no complicated steps and it comes together quickly.
• stores well – the chicken stores well and doesn’t develop a weird texture after storing. it does well in both the refrigerator and the freezer.
• reheats perfectly – when you reheat this recipe, you don’t have dry, inedible chicken.

ingredients

• ground chicken – I prefer to get at least 93% lean ground chicken. You can always ground the chicken yourself from chicken breasts if you’d like.
• panko breadcrumbs – I like the texture that panko breadcrumbs add to meatballs, but plain breadcrumbs work here as well.
• egg – one whole egg will help the meat mixture to bind together.
• salt & pepper – I prefer to use kosher salt and ground black pepper.
• dried oregano – you could also use fresh oregano, but don’t skip it.
• onion powder – you could swap the onion powder for actual onions, but I prefer the taste of onion powder in this recipe.
• garlic – you can use the pre-minced type to save some time.
• balsamic vinegar – using high-quality balsamic vinegar will helps this taste great. Be sure to use vinegar and not glaze.
• honey – I use raw honey, but you can also swap for maple syrup.
• ginger – freshly grated ginger and fresh ginger paste both work well.

how to serve

• rice – these go really well over basmati and jasmine rice.
• pasta – you can serve these over pasta, using the sticky sweet sauce in place of pasta sauce.
• vegetables – these go really great with roasted Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

how to make the chicken meatballs

Detailed instructions and measurements to make sticky sweet chicken meatballs are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

1. Add all of the ingredients for the meat mixture to a mixing bowl.
2. Mix to combine.
3. Scoop the meat mixture into 17 even meatballs.
4. Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 20-23 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven.

how to make sticky sweet sauce

1. Add all sauce ingredients to a small saucepan.
2. Simmer over low heat until the honey has dissolved.
3. Continue to simmer until it has reduced slightly and begins to thicken.
4. Remove from heat and pour over the chicken meatballs. Stir them to coat.

tips, tricks, and faqs

When making the sauce, be sure to stir to prevent sticking.

If you want an easier way to make sure that the meatballs are evenly sized, you can use a cookie scoop and then smooth them out with your hands.

substitutions

• chicken – you could substitute ground turkey instead of ground chicken.
• panko breadcrumbs – if you can’t find panko breadcrumbs, or don’t have any on hand, you can use regular breadcrumbs as well.
• honey – if your diet doesn’t include honey, you can replace the honey with maple syrup.
• ginger – if you can’t get fresh ginger, you can substitute ginger paste in this recipe.
• garlic – fresh garlic is best, but you can also use pre-minced garlic to save time.

how to store sticky sweet chicken meatballs

Allow the meatballs to come to room temperature.

to freeze – place the meatballs on a sheet pan and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, remove them from the sheet pan and place them in a zip-top freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 6 months.

to refrigerate – once the meatballs have come to room temperature, store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

how to reheat sticky sweet chicken meatballs

To reheat the meatballs, place them on a microwave safe plate and cover with a paper towel. Heat for 1 minute. If they need more time, continue to heat in 30 second increments until your desired temperature.

other meatball recipes you might like

• Chicken Pesto Meatballs
• Oven-Baked Turkey Meatballs
• Homemade Meatballs