Description
This Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs recipe offers a delightful fusion of tender ground chicken meatballs glazed with a traditional Japanese teriyaki sauce. Juicy and flavorful, these meatballs are pan-fried to achieve a golden crust and then simmered in a glossy, sweet-savory sauce, perfect when served over steamed rice and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
Ingredients
Scale
Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/4 cup / 65ml soy sauce (all purpose / ordinary)
- 1/4 cup / 65ml cooking sake (or Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry)
- 1/4 cup / 65ml Mirin
- 1 tbsp white sugar (brown sugar also okay)
- 3/4 cup / 180 ml water
Meatballs:
- 500 g / 1 lb chicken mince (ground chicken; can substitute pork or turkey)
- 1 egg (preferably small, 50g / 1.4 oz)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or 3/4 cup normal breadcrumbs)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking sake (or Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cooking and Garnish:
- 1 tbsp oil
- Sliced green onions / scallions (optional)
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Meatball Ingredients: In a bowl, add chicken mince, egg, panko breadcrumbs, minced garlic, cooking sake, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the prepared teriyaki sauce. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- Prepare Teriyaki Sauce: In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornflour in 1 tablespoon of water until lump-free. Add soy sauce, cooking sake, mirin, and sugar, then mix well. Add the remaining 3/4 cup water and stir again. Set this sauce mixture aside.
- Shape Meatballs: Using a heaped tablespoon, scoop the meat mixture and roll them into balls with lightly oiled hands to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for 30 minutes if the mixture feels too wet or sticky.
- Cook Meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all meatballs to the skillet and cook, turning frequently to brown all sides evenly, for about 5 minutes. They should be browned but still slightly undercooked inside.
- Simmer in Sauce: Lower the heat to medium-low. Give the reserved teriyaki sauce a quick stir, then pour it into the skillet with the meatballs. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens into a glossy coating over the meatballs.
- Serve: Serve the teriyaki chicken meatballs hot over steamed rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Use authentic Japanese Kikkoman soy sauce for balanced flavor. A mix of light and dark soy sauce can substitute if unavailable. Avoid using only dark soy sauce as it is too intense.
- Cooking sake and Mirin are essential for authentic teriyaki flavor. Sake can be replaced with dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine, but Mirin should not be substituted for best results. Alcohol evaporates during cooking.
- To manage sticky chicken mince when shaping meatballs, refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes, lightly oil your hands before rolling, or add extra breadcrumbs if necessary.
- Nutrition estimates are based on four servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approx. 150g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
