Description
These freezer-friendly Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli are a delicious and convenient meal option, featuring juicy baked chicken meatballs paired with tender broccoli and a homemade sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce. Perfect for meal prep, these meatballs can be frozen raw or cooked and reheated easily, served over rice or noodles for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup panko
- 3 green onions, light and dark parts, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb broccoli, florets
- 1 cup homemade teriyaki sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
- ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp chili paste
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a stand mixer or using your hands, gently mix ground chicken, eggs, grated ginger, minced garlic, panko, chopped green onions, and salt until fully combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Using a cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, portion out about 35 meatballs. Dip your hands in water to smooth the surface of each meatball as you roll them.
- Bake Meatballs: Place the meatballs on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Blanch Broccoli: While meatballs bake, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately run under cold water until cooled completely, then let dry in a colander.
- Make Teriyaki Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, chili paste, and lime juice to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix corn starch and water to make a slurry and add it to the sauce. Simmer for 2 more minutes until thickened.
- Freeze Components: Once meatballs are cooled, combine cooked meatballs, blanched broccoli, and teriyaki sauce (in a small ziplock bag) into a large freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and store flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze raw meatballs on a baking sheet for an hour before transferring to a freezer bag with broccoli and sauce.
- Reheat & Serve: When ready to eat, run the frozen bag under warm water briefly to separate ingredients. Preheat oven to 400°F, arrange meatballs and broccoli on a prepared baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles, topped with prepared teriyaki sauce.
Notes
- Meatballs can be frozen raw or cooked; cooking times are the same upon reheating.
- Dipping hands in water before rolling helps smooth the meatballs.
- Precooked meatballs will have a deeper golden color after reheating than raw frozen ones.
- Store freezer bags flat to save space and ensure even freezing.
- Serve the meatballs over rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs with broccoli and sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
