Weeknight Sticky Ginger Sesame Chicken Meatballs.
30 minute Better than takeout Weeknight Sticky Sesame Ginger Chicken Meatballs. Easy homemade Asian inspired chicken meatballs with ginger and sesame, tossed in a sweet, spicy, and extra sticky soy pomegranate sauce. Serve over steamed rice topped with plenty of sesame seeds for a fun and healthy dinner any night of the week. And the best part…these meatballs are made quicker than any take-out meal, and they’re so much healthier too.
Every fall I tend to get stuck in a bit of a “cozy” food rut. I hate to say “rut” because I’m LOVING all my cozy, warming, hearty, creamy, and pasta filled recipes so much. BUT not every day of the week needs a bowl full of gnocchi or a creamy, cheesy soup…
Well, I mean, I wouldn’t complain about that, but the point is, it’s nice to switch things up. Which is where these meatballs come in. These meatballs are different, they’re saucy, so flavorful, and require almost no time to make. Ok, 30-ish minutes, but they’re QUICK and EASY and the sauce is addicting. I wanted to include this recipe as one of my “better than takeout” recipes. But then I wasn’t sure if Asian meatballs are really a takeout thing?
Either way, these remind me of really good takeout style food. But they’re much quicker and so much healthier than ordering out.
And, I know I’ve said this pretty much every time I share a new meatball recipe, but geez, I really cringe at the word meatball. It’s just not the best sounding word, you know?
Let me run you through the details of these meatballs
For the meat, I used ground chicken, but ground pork or turkey will work just as well. I seasoned them up with plenty of green onions, ginger, and garlic. Then oven-baked them on a sheet pan alongside broccoli and vegetables for added color. Plus, I just love the idea of a one-pan dinner. And if you can cook your meat and vegetables at the very same time, why not?
While the meatballs bake, make the sauce. Now here’s the truth, the sauce is really why you should make this recipe. It’s honestly so addicting. Sweet, tangy, a touch spicy and once boiled down, super sticky. The secret ingredient is one of my autumn favorites, pomegranate juice. I know it might sound odd, but please, don’t doubt me here. The pomegranate juice adds sweetness, tanginess, and deep dark color too. It’s one of my favorite ingredients to use within Asian inspired recipes. Plus, I always love the added pop of color, especially this time of year when the pomegranates are so pretty.
The sauce takes only a few minutes to thicken up on the stove. It’s usually ready by the time the meatballs have finished cooking.
Then just toss the sauce with the meatballs and you are done. Yes, that’s it. Nothing fancy here, just simple cooking, but very delicious (pretty healthy food).
Serving suggestions??
Steamed rice, plenty of green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and pomegranate arils. Then drizzle with a generous amount of the extra sauce…because saucy meatballs are the only way to go.
Tip…double the recipe and save the leftovers for quick and easy lunches. The meatballs would also be great atop a chopped salad or served with rice noodles.
Also? These would be a really fun and delicious appetizer for upcoming holiday parties. Little sticky meatballs served on skewers? Yep, perfect finger food for a party.
And if you’re looking for something fresh and healthy…ish for dinner this week, make these meatballs. Or Invite your best friends over for Asian night and impress them with your homemade sticky meatballs.
Add a good Halloween movie and you’ll have the perfect night in!
If you make these weeknight sticky ginger sesame chicken meatballs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the how to video:
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Weeknight 30 Minute Sticky Ginger Sesame Chicken Meatballs
Key Ingredient: chicken
Easy homemade Asian inspired chicken meatballs with ginger and sesame, tossed in a sweet, spicy, and extra sticky soy pomegranate sauce. Serve over steamed rice topped with plenty of sesame seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
- 2 green onions, finely chopped, plus more for serving
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- black pepper
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets or 1 winter squash, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch wedges
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup pomegranate juice (equal amounts of apple cider or orange juice are great substitutes)
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (make sure to use GF, if needed)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, using more or less to taste
- steamed rice, sesame seeds, and pomegranate arils, for serving
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Add the chicken, green onions, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-20 meatballs) placing them on one side of the prepared baking sheet. The mix will be wet, but it will firm up in the oven. Add the broccoli or winter squash (see notes) to the other side of the baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, combine the 1 tablespoon oil, the soy sauce, pomegranate juice, hoisin sauce, honey, vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil 5-8 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces by about 1/3. Remove from the heat.
4. Pour about half the sauce over the meatballs, tossing to combine. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce coats the meatballs.
5. Serve the meatballs and sauce over bowls of rice topped with additional green onions, pomegranate arils, and sesame seeds. Serve the broccoli on the side.
Recipe Notes
Homemade Hoisin: in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder, and a pinch of black pepper.
To Freeze the Meatballs: Bake as directed, then freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer for 2 hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or simmer in the sauce over low heat for 20 minutes, until thawed, adding water if needed to thin the sauce.
To Freeze the Meatballs in the Sauce: Spoon the meatballs and sauce into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm on the stove until heated through, about 15 minutes, adding water if needed to thin the sauce.
If Using Winter Squash: the squash might need 15 minutes additional cooking time. I recommend roasting the squash for 15 minutes before adding the meatballs, then add the meatballs to the sheet once the squash is tender.
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these look BEYOND amazing!!!
Thank you so much Ruth! xTieghan
Chicken meatballs looks absolutely amazing. Need to try this soon.. Love it.
YES! I hope you do! Thank you so much Arpita! xTieghan
Oooo!!! These look and sound amazing!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ We will be making them this week for sure!!!!
Thank you Rosa! I hope you love these! xTieghan
Any suggestions for a substitute for the pomegranate juice? I have some apple cider on hand.
Hi Maren! Yes that will work great! I hope you love this! xTieghan
I’m also wondering what I could sub for the pomegranate juice. Not a big pomegranate fan. Any suggestions?
Hi Francine! You can use an equal amount of apple cider or orange juice, whatever you love most. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I made these tonight with ground beyond meat since my husband is a vegetarian. They came out amazing! Definitely a keeper recipe! Thanks Tieghan!
Thank you Aimee! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, made these for dinner tonight. Delish!!! Definitely a keeper. Thank you for the easy, weeknight recipes. Keep em’ coming. I love to cook but, sometimes weeknight, after work dinners can be challenging . I truly appreciate these kind of weeknight easy recipes. Thanks.
Thank you Becky! xTieghan
another great recipe much appreciated by a meatball lover
Thank you so much Sabrina! xTieghan
Looks delicious! Do you think i could substitute pomegranate molasses for the pomegranate juice and honey? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Margaret! What a great idea!! I would use 2-4 tablespoons molasses mixed with 1/3 to 1/2 cup water. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Wow! Now this looks amazing. On the must do list for certain!
I have always actually thought the word “meatball” was pretty cute. There was a popular children’s song decades ago called “On Top of Spaghetti” about a lost meatball that rolls away. 🙂
But back to these meatballs…ingenious idea, with the sticky pomegranate sauce, Swooning over here…
Haha that is so cute! Thank you so much Aline! xTieghan
Do you think this recipe could be doubled?
Hi Carl! Yes, this recipe can easily be doubled. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I have a lot of ground pork. I think I’ll give this a try with that. Will report back!
Yes so perfect! I hope you love this Lisa! xTieghan
Doubled and made with chicken; I put the meatballs on one baking sheet and the veggies onto another smaller one. Prepped the veggies first so that the meatballs wouldn’t be sitting around. Used ground szechuan pepper, which was nice on it. I used 3/4 tsp fine sea salt in the meatballs. Next time I would use a larger saucepan to cook down the sauce. It took a while to come together (and I’m an experienced home cook) but came out well in the end – will go into regular rotation!
I love to hear that! So glad this turned out so well for you, Hillary! Thank you! xTieghan
These were delicious and will become a weeknight staple for us. I used orange juice as the substitute. Next time I will double the recipe so we have more leftovers! Yum!!
I love that! So glad this turned out so well for you Sarah! xTieghan
Perfect timing with this recipe – now that the temps are finally feeling like fall (below 90 here!) I don’t mind my oven heating up. These were delicious!
YES! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Sara! Thank you! xTieghan
Just made this tonight- so quick and delicious! It tastes like a healthy version of take-out!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Laura! xTieghan
Wonderful, quick to do and sauce flavorful. I used the orange juice option as I had oranges, I usually “skinny” any recipe I do a bit, ( less oil and sweet) but still very good Thank you.
Thank you so much Frances! xTieghan
This is so yummy! I used 99% fat free turkey and served it with broccolini over cauliflower rice. It was spicy, but so good. My husband loved it too!
Thank you so much Jen! xTieghan
This recipe turned out super yummy! My sauce didn’t really turn out “sticky,” which I’m thinking means I didn’t reduce it long enough, but it was really delicious! Served it for some guests and they all loved the extra sauce drizzled over rice. This recipe is a keeper!
I am so happy to hear that Sara! Thank you so much! xTieghan
As I suspected, this was one of your most delicious recipes yet. And that’s saying a lot…because everything i have ever tried has been awesome. I had broccoli and carrots on hand so those were the veggies I used, and I also doubled the sauce as did some other readers. I coated the veggies in it as well, and returned them to the oven for a few minutes along with the meatballs.
One minor addition, i finely diced a big stalk of lemongrass and added that to the meatball mixture before cooking, figuring it would nicely compliment the Asian flavors. It was delicious!
I’m making a massive batch of this for my partner’s birthday party that’s coming up soon. So, probably 20+ guests. I have no doubt everyone will go nuts for this recipe.
Ahh that is so amazing to hear Aline! Also, wow that is a big one! I hope this turns out amazing for everyone! xTieghan
A cozy bowlful. Will make again fo sho.
Haha thank you Julie! xTieghan
Excited to make this! I have the sauce reducing- it has reduced by 1/3 but is not thickening. The only changes I made to your recipe were subbing OJ and omitting pepper. Will it thicken as it cools?
Hi Elizabeth! Yes, the sauce will thicken. It should be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I was so exited to try this and it’s wonderful! The ginger really comes through. I used ground turkey and apple cider since I already had them. This took me way longer than 30 minutes though, but I am not very fast when it comes to chopping. Paired with acorn squash that I started roasting before the meatballs went in. Can’t wait to try again.
Thank you so much Christina! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
MADE IT!!! Omg Love ..Love! My daughter took the leftovers to college. We loved the sauce. I didn’t have pomegranate juice, substituted – pom, carrot and beet juice. :). I am going to make the sauce ahead of time so I can use it on anything.. veggies, fried rice.. etc.. so versatile!! Thank you yet again!
Thank you for trying this Jaya! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this and it was amazing ???
Meal prepped it for lunch for a week and even heated up in the microwave it was great! Super easy to make as well.
Just a quick question, does the nutritional information (ie. Calories) on this include the rice or is it just the meatballs and sauce?
Hi Alice! The nutrition is only for the meatballs and sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Great tasting recipe! The sauce is really good. But, the texture of the meatballs wasn’t great. I’m wondering if I’m missing something? The meatballs just kind of fell apart when we ate them—like they had no binder to give them a bit of chew like regular meatballs. Is that how they’re supposed to be?
Hey Doris, what kind of chicken did you use? I don’t find certain meatballs to need a binder. I find that chicken meat is usually pretty wet and holds well on it’s own. Wondering if your brand of chicken differs from mine? The meatballs should not be crumbly. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I made these last night and overall they are definitely something I’d make again! The only thing was I could not get the sauce to reduce enough 🙁 I doubled the recipe so I thought maybe it might take twice as long for the sauce to thicken, but after 20+ minutes it was still runny and was bubbling so much it didn’t even look like much steam was coming off (I had it on med-high)…. It definitely reduced a little, but it was not sticky, and I was so hungry I just decided to eat it as it lol. Any tips or insight into why this happened?
Hey Cara! Since you doubled the sauce, you will need to simmer a lot longer to really thicken it and get it super sticky. It might take up to 30 minutes, but I would not think it would take any longer than that. The sauce also thickens as it cools too. Also, you can add additional honey to thicken the sauce as well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I found these meatballs to be very bland and the sauce to be overly powerful. I am a saucy girl, but this sauce taste was just too much for me.
Hi Lorrie! I am really sorry to hear that! Are there any questions I could help you with? I hope you love other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Wow! This is definitely going to be a staple in our house. I love the way the ginger comes through in the meatballs. As others mentioned, I had trouble with the sauce thickening. However, after we finished eating I noticed the leftover sauce in the pan had thickened up perfectly. I plan on making the sauce first thing next time I make this so that it has time to cool down and thicken up while the meatballs are baking. I served with roasted acorn squash/red peppers/and cauliflower.
That is so amazing to hear Alex! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
The meatballs themselves were good. The sauce just would not thicken up despite cooking much longer than the suggested time! It remained quite runny.
Hi! I am so sorry to hear that! Are there any questions I could help you with or anything that was missing from the recipe? xTieghan
Absolutely delicious recipe! We loved it and will be saving the recipe for our regular rotation. I laid off on the chili flakes a little, but that’s just personal preference. Thank you!
Thank you Nina! xTieghan
The meatballs were on the dry side and the sauce never thickened. Otherwise good.
Thank you Teresa! xTieghan
I just made this for dinner! I used both broccoli and butternut squash. ( I cooked the squash an additional 15min as recommended) It was PERFECT! My husband and I loved it. Definitely will make again! So good.
That is so amazing to hear Sarah! Thank you! xTieghan
This was delicious!!
Thank you Kim! xTieghan
Such a delicious and easy weeknight meal! Used dark ground turkey and really enjoyed this recipe. Served alongside roasted broccoli and cauliflower. YUM!
Thank you so much Briana! xTieghan
Made these for dinner last night and they are so tasty! Subbed apple cider since I had some on hand and YUM. Will definitely be making again…like maybe tomorrow? 🙂
Haha yes! I am so glad you loved this recipe, Sydney! xTieghan
Good flavors, but a few recommendations. I would bake the sqaush and meatballs in separate pans. The meatballs made a fat swamp, and didn’t brown nicely due to overcrowding. Secondly, I used apple cider, and it was missing the punch that pom juice would have given, and that the meatballs needed. The meatballs took an additional 7 mins in my oven. I like the idea, and will play around with it.
Thank you Katie! If you have any questions please let me know! xTieghan
This was so good! I could not get sauce to thicken either but then added 2 tsp. equal parts cornstarch and water. Perfect!
Thank you Lynna! xTieghan
I threw all the ingredients into a crockpot and didn’t make meatballs, came out great over rice noodles with broccoli!
Amazing! I am so happy to hear that Mica! Thank you! xTieghan
I love this recipe and the flavours are amazing, have made it twice now but my sauce hasn’t thickened either time!
I’m not sure what has gone wrong, I follow the recipe but substitute pomegranate juice with orange juice.
Any suggestions? I boiled it for a while hoping it would thicken but no luck
Thank you!
Hey Johanna! So there seems to be a theme with people who use orange juice, their sauce does not thicken! I would recommend using only 1/4 cup orange juice and seeing if your sauce thickens up then. I think that should solve your issues. So sorry you are having trouble!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this helps! Thank you! xTieghan ??
I want to make these but am wondering if there’s a substitute for hoisin sauce? I don’t want to buy a whole bottle and not be able to use it all before it goes bad. Thanks!
Hey Kara!! I would use an additional amount of honey (3 tablespoons) + 2 tablespoons soy sauce. OR use 2 tablespoons honey + 1 tablespoon molasses + 1 tablespoon soy. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
I made this but the sauce never thickened and I couldn’t really taste the pomegranate. I found the sauce quite strong tasting.
Hi Melissa! I am really sorry to hear that! Are there any questions you have or something that may have gone wrong in the recipe? I would love to help! xTieghan
Really wanting to love this recipe! Concept is amazing. My sauce did NOT thicken at all (doubled and let boil for a really long time – probably close to 30 minutes). Is this recipe missing corn starch? Should I add that to thicken? The meatballs for me were missing that wholesomeness without the breadcrumbs/cheese/egg – but I’m not sold that I need that. Do you have recommendations on the sauce thickening?
Hey Emma! First, I am so sorry you are having trouble. Are you using orange juice by chance? There seems to be a theme with people who use orange juice, their sauce does not thicken! I would recommend using only 1/4 cup orange juice and seeing if your sauce thickens up then. If using pom juice, try using 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons honey. I think that should solve your issues. So sorry you are having trouble!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this helps! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Made this tonight and it was a hit! Will definitely be making this again soon!!
I love that! Thank you so much Kate! xTieghan
Would this work with ground beef? Has anyone tried pork or beef?
I would recommend using pork. I think the flavor of beef could be overpowering. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
These are AMAZING!! This recipe became an instant family favorite!
That is so great to hear! Thank you so much Ally! xTieghan
What the heck is “GF”, referred to under the list of ingredients – hoisin sauce?
HI Barbara, GF stand for Gluten Free. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Doubled the recipe and did it exactly with same ingredients. Thickened up fine. Tasted like my beloved moo shi sauce from Chinese restaurant! Very happy – made with Bobby Flays crispy coconut rice.
Thank you so much Maura! xTieghan
Made these last night. So good! Served over Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice. They paired very well together. I’m contemplating going ‘Julie and Julia’ on your blog and making your recipes for a year! ;)-
That is so great! Thank you so much Sarah! xTieghan
The meatballs were delicious! My husband, three young kids and I gobbled them up. Only roasted one head of broccoli for the side and when I make them again, I think I’ll do two. A keeper!
I am so happy to hear that Caroline! Thank you so much! xTieghan
You are spot on with this recipe! Quick, easy and out of this world tasty.
Thank you so much Tina! So glad you loved this! xTieghan
Could this be done with ground beef as well? It’s all I have on hand.
HI! I am sure ground beef will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious recipe! I especially loved the little bit of spiciness from the chili flakes. We will definitely be making this again soon.
That is so amazing! Thank you so much Heather! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I love your blog! Just made these meatballs tonight and they were so delicious, my husband loved them, too. FYI, i got 1/3 cup pomegranate juice from a whole pomegranate, saving about 1 T arils for topping.
Thanks for sharing such great recipes!
Amazing! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Nicole! xTieghan
Could you sub the pomegranate juice for pomegranate molasses?
Hey Kath! You can use 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses with 1/3 cup water. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Was wondering whether you can make this in a slowcooker/Crockpot…?
Hey Judith! I best that would be great! I would make the meatballs and drop them into the sauce in the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours. I have not tested this however, so I can’t say for sure how it will work. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Amazing flavor-i did not have any hoisin sauce, so i used some creamy peanut butter!
Perfect with basmati rice and broccolini!
Yes! Love that addition! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Lori! xTieghan
I made this tonight and the flavors were amazing. My sauce, however, never thickened. It was soupy and didn’t caramelize as your photo shows. Any suggestions for next time?
Hi Talin! Next time, just try simmer the sauce an addition 5-8 minutes, it should thicken right ip for you. Sounds like it just needs to boil a bit longer. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
I was needing something easy to make for dinner and this recipe caught my eye. Made these tonight with sides of roasted red kuri squash (started whole in the oven, then cut into wedges when it was soft), quinoa because we’ve had a lot of rice lately, and shredded sauteed Brussels sprouts. The meatballs and sauce are very tasty. My husband approved, so here’s another recipe of yours that will be on repeat at our house. I love when he eats things that he normally wouldn’t, and likes it–the pomegranate juice in the sauce, in this case.
Hi Caroline! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I made it this evening and I wasn’t able to get the sauce to thicken, I’m thinking I needed to boil for longer? Or could it be because I used raw honey? I’m also curious why there is no egg in the meat balls? Mine seemed to crumble apart when I transfers them to the bowl… despite all this I LOVED the flavors and I want to try again!
Hey Annie! Yes, just boil the sauce longer to thicken. I think using raw honey is just fine.
If your meatballs crumbled, it sounds like they are overcooked. try cooking a little less. Or add an egg if you prefer. Either option should fix the issue. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
YUM!!!! These are delicious. My sauce didn’t thicken much, but was so good. I was surprised that there was no egg to bind, but my chicken meatballs held together perfectly. I made it using sliced cabbage, coated with sesame oil and some Asian spices instead of broccoli. I added the cabbage about half way thru the meatball cooking, to leave a little crunch. SO GOOD!
That is so amazing to hear! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Andrea! Thank you! xTieghan
This is an easy and delicious dish! I’m making it for a second time tonight. I love how ginger-y the meatballs are! Thank you!
Thank you Kate! I am so glad this turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
Awesome recipe. Delicious.
Thank you Logan! xTieghan
Super easy and were declicious!
Thank you!! xTieghan
Just made these for my family the day after Christmas and they’re a big hit. I made a batch of crispy tofu for my vegetarian sister and she loved it since she feels like she always misses out on the fun Asian sauces because it’s always meat dishes. I’d probably steam the broccoli next time and maybe skip the squash and go for bok choy and some bean sprouts. Plus make sure you use a nice Asian sticky rice. I made the mistake of using jasmine because it was all I had and so next time I’d just make sure I use a different kind. All around it was amazing and so easy. Can’t wait to make again!
That is so amazing! So glad this turned out so well for you Monica! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
Hi, I’d like to try these in my slow cooker. Do I need to cook from the beginning with the sauce? Or cook the meatballs on their own for a while before adding the sauce to the pot?
HI! I would brown the meatballs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, then add to the slow cooker with the sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and Happy New Year! xTieghan
We turned the meatballs into a pizza!
That is so cool! Thank you Carol! xTieghan
I’ve made this a few times with veggie meatballs instead… So amazing. Perfect texture and spice! I love how they’re sticky too; it does create a fantastic sauce over the rice. I’ve also made your homemade hoison each time and love it, too. Thank you!
Thank you! So glad you have been loving this recipe Tana! xTieghan
SO good! I made these with chicken and asparagus as the veggie and they were fantastic! My meatballs weren’t crispy after 15 minutes though, so I just let them sit under the broiler for a couple minutes. I’m thinking I’ll try these with beef or turkey next!
Yes! So glad these turned out so well for you Haley! Thank you! xTieghan
Made it for the first time today. Very easy. Great flavor. I added Siracha to the sauce for an extra kick of heat. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much Susan! xTieghan
These were delicious and as easy as advertised! Will definitely put it into the weeknight dinner rotation.
Thank you Michelle! I am so glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
We loved these, the sauce was super yummy. The meatballs however didn’t turn out crispy at all, despite additional cooking time. Any tips on how to crisp them up?
Hi Michelle! For an extra crispy meatball, switch the oven to broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute at the end of cooking. this will ensure they crisp nicely. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was such a delicious meal!! Tons of flavor and so simple to make!! Thank you for adding the details to make this as a freezer meal option.
Thank you so much Amy! xTieghan
Wau, this was really really good but I just realised I should have read the comments before making it wrt. reducing the sauce when doubling the recipe. Next time I will use my steam oven to cook the meatballs to ensure they don’t get too dry. Also, if it is too hard to get the sauce sticky it is possible to add a bit of corn starch to thicken it. Thank you for sharing so many great recipes!
Thank you for trying this! I am so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
it was delicious!! My sauce did not come out very sticky though, is there something that I should add more of to make it stick to the meatballs more? Thanks!!
Hi Rachel! You can add additional honey or simmer the sauce longer on the stove until it’s a thicker sauce. Either should work well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I and so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I must have messed up because when I reduced the sauce only for 5 minutes it turned into a black super sticky paste that was burned. I did med-high heat in a non stick skillet and measured all ingredients.
Hi Ashlyn, is it possible you left and ingredient out? Maybe the water? That is the only thing I can think of. Sorry you had trouble!
So good any easy. I couldn’t get the sauce sticky like in the picture. I simmered it for longer than it said and even added a tad more honey? Any suggestions?
Hi Sarah! The only thing to thicken the sauce is to simmer it longer, try and additional 10 minutes. Sometimes it just takes a little longer. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Sauce was really good but never quite made it to the sticky stage. Best part – husband wants leftovers for lunch tomorrow ?
Wow yes!! I am so glad you both enjoyed this one, Dawn! xTieghan
This was sooooo yummy! Made it tonight and my husband and I loved it. I took the advice from others about sauce not thickening so I made it earlier and let it sit to thicken, It was perfect. I added mushrooms with the broccoli and put the sauce on the veggies too. Great flavor! Will make again very soon!!
Thank you so much Laurie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit. My toddler loved it as well. I like the simplicity of the meatballs. I used orange juice as a substitute and didn’t have an issue with it thickening, it just took a little longer but it was perfect.
This will be added to my kid and adult friendly repertoire.
Thank you!
Thank you Morgan! I am so glad this turned out so well for you all! xTieghan
such an easy and delicious meal! you made my week with this and they’ve become a fast favorite. super simple to make and truly only 30 mins. absolutely thrilled – thank you!
Thank you Lexi! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
These look amazing! Would the sauce be okay to make in advance?
Hi Grace! Of course! You can make the sauce ahead of time. That works great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I don’t think I reduced the sauce long enough, but it still tasted great. I reduced it more for leftovers tomorrow and it is thicker ?. Thanks for sharing this, I can’t wait to get your new cookbook!
Thank you so much Laurie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was so good, I’m making it for the second time right now.
I love to hear that! Thank you Mary! xTieghan
These were absolutely delicious!! My whole family loved them. I was wondering how the meatballs would be with so few ingredients and sometimes I don’t love the flavor of turkey but they were so good! This was definitely better than take out!!
Thank you Susie!! I am so glad you all enjoyed this! xTieghan
Another delicious recipe! I made this tonight and it was super fast and easy, I like to follow the recipe with no changes the first time I make it and see if I want any adjustments later, this one was great as is. The sauce is so tasty, I want to try it with some short ribs next. Best part was this was another of your recipes my two year old loved also… just not the broccoli so much. Oh well.
Thanks again.
Ooo yes! I am really happy to hear that you enjoyed this, especially the sauce! Thank you Adriana! xTieghan
Another 10/10 recipe from you! <3
I didn't use ginger, because it's not really our kind of flavor. :/ I added a pinch of salt to the meat and I doubled the sauce (because there's no such thing as too much sauce, right?). And it turned out SO, SO good! Next time I'll just have to be a little more "soft" on the meatballs – I have this kind of paranoia about undercooked chicken and so I overooked them a little.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe! 🙂
The consistency of these meatballs was really unappetizing!
Hi Leanne! Is there anything that could have gone wrong? I would love to help you on this! xTieghan
Loved this recipe! Super delicious and easy. I’ve already made it twice. I will definitely be making this recipe often.
Yes!! Thank you so much Alexa! xTieghan
Was very delicious and very easy to make. My sauce didn’t thicken in pan (I cooked for even longer than it said) but the sauce did thicken and get sticky on the meatballs. Thank you for a unique dinner idea that was easy!
Thank you so much Bridget! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
Considering making these for a Super Bowl potluck. Can these be done in the crockpot to make for easier travel? If so, are there any suggestions on edits I should make to the recipe and cook time in the crockpot? Thanks!
Hi Kassi! I would cook the meatballs as directed through step 3. Stop at step 3 and keep the meatballs + sauce in the slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours, then switch to keep warm. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Very tasty and different recipe! Instead of the roasted vegetables, I did some grilled zucchini, mushrooms, and red pepper, seasoned with soy sauce and vinegar, which were a nice accompaniment to the deep, rich, sticky flavor of the sauce. I like fluffier meatballs so I added an egg and about 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs to the meat mix. The flavor (with the ginger, garlic and green onion) was delicious. After reading the comments, i cooked the sauce for much longer in fear it would not reduce, and got a bit overzealous, resulting in something a lot like tar. So yes! The sauce will reduce! I had to thin it out afterwards with some water. My errors aside, it still turned out very good. I liked it but my husband LOVED it. I’ll be making it again!
Hi Holly! I am glad you both enjoyed this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Considering making these this weekend, have you attempted to make these using a blend of both ground chicken and pork? With Italian meatballs I’ll usually use a triple blend of beef, pork, and veal so wondering if you think that will work here? Thanks!
Hey George! I am sure a bland of chicken and pork will work very well. great idea! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Love the taste of this recipe, my sauce didn’t thicken, can’t figure out why, but it still was delicious! I will make it again. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
Thank you Maria! I am so glad you enjoyed this so much! xTieghan
This was beyond delicious – and easy. What a great recipe bursting with flavor.
Thank you so much! xTieghan
Loved these meatballs—super easy to make and quick for a weeknight! Will definitely make again—but be warned they may end up being less that four servings. Two of us finished the whole batch at once!
I am so glad you enjoyed this April! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Made last night, they were awesome! My kids
loved them, next time I will double the recipe
and make extra sauce, thank you for this easy
and delicious recipe 🙂
I love to hear that! Thank you so much Maya! xTieghan
Made this with ramen noodles and got rave reviews from hubby! I have a huge har of silan (date honey) to use up, do you think I could sub it in for the honey in the sauce?
Hi Esther! I am sure that honey will be great! Sounds delicious!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
We are obsessed with this recipe! Such an easy weeknight meal to make and we even get a day of leftovers. Definitely plan on making this and freezing it for nights we’re too lazy to even whip up this simple recipe 😉
Thank you so much Gloria! I am so glad you are loving this! xTieghan
It was awesome Teigan. My husband and kids loved it and they are a tough bunch to please. I saw what many said about the sauce not reducing and I added about 1/2 tsp of cornstarch and it fixed the problem for us. I was also thinking of doing a double batch of the meatballs and using them on your souper creamy golden rice with spiced chickpeas. My husband always wants some kind of meat and I think if I put the meatballs with the chickpeas he will love them.
Thank you so much Louisa! And sounds amazing! Thank you! xtieghan
Hi Tieghan!
Two questions for you! I tried this recipe with 99% fat free turkey and the inside of the meatballs were dry and the sauce did not seep into the meatball. I imagine it’s because I used 99% fat free (haha!). Should I buy turkey meat with more fat? Or should I stick with ground chicken? Should I add an egg to it?
Question 2: If I’m not pairing this with rice, what would be a good side dish? I imagine something that’s light as this is very saucey. Can you link me to a recipe you would recommend?
Thank you so much!
Hey Alexis!! Yes, you should use ground turkey or chicken with a high fat content. It’s almost impossible to get a moist meatballs with 99% fat free. If you are still running into issues, adding an egg should solve them! But definitely try a high fat content. 🙂
For a side, honestly I think rice is best! But you could do a salad? Or rice noodles? Maybe try the below brussels sprouts. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/shredded-brussels-sprout-bacon-salad/
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/citrus-avocado-salad/
Family loves it!
Thank you so much Tracy! So happy to hear that! xTieghan
Holy cow! I tried these last night and they were so good and so easy! I immediately texted my girlfriends and my sister to tell them they HAD to try them! Thank you!
Aw that is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much for trying this and sharing it with others! xTieghan
This was PERFECT. So fast, easy, and delicious. Added a little water and lime to the sauce to make it a little less salty. Loved it – thank you!!
Thank you Sierra! xTieghan
This was so much fun to make and came out delicious! My new favorite dinner recipe. I plan to double the recipe and put broccoli on a separate pan (the liquids from the meatballs made the broccoli a little softer than I normally like).
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Gabriella! xTieghan
This recipe is absolutely delicious. The whole house smell wonderful when I cook this. Yes the meatballs are wet. Don’t second guess yourself. I usually triple the recipe so I having plenty for leftovers and also to take to work. I make my own pomegranate syrup. The only caveat if you triple the recipe is to decrease the amount of pepper flakes. The first time I made them (tripled) is did use 3 teaspoons and it was really spicey.
Thank you so much for trying this recipe Cathy! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made these tonight. I desperately wanted to love them but despite following the recipe step by step with no changes and substitutes, the sauce was water thin and the chicken came out incredibly dry.
Hi Alyssa! I am sorry to hear that! Are there any questions I could help you with? Please let me know! xTieghan
This sauce is great-doubled it to pour over steamed vegetables later! However, I didn’t use the full amount of red pepper flakes-my family doesn’t like it too spicy. Thanks so much for posting!
Thank you for trying this Brittany! xTieghan
Hi!! This was delicious and a great tasting recipe! It was my first time making meatballs and I used turkey 85/15 for them. The ball kind of melted a bit while cooking so it’s no longer a round ball and instead the bottom is flat…. could you problem solve if possible? Too fatty? TIA! I love your recipes!
Hi Ori,
So sorry about this. Next time I would recommend turning the meatballs while you are cooking so that it evenly cooks on all sides. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is a delicious dinner staple! We have made this several times now, and my husband loves it (which is a huge win).
I do have a hard time getting the sauce to thicken. I used OJ the first time, then switched to Pomegranate juice.The sauce does not thicken by the time I’m ready to serve. Should I keep the sauce boiling longer?
Hi Briana! Keeping the sauce boiling longer should definitely thicken it up! Please let me know if this works for you. Otherwise a thickening agent should do the trick! xTieghan
These were amazing!! We used spray instead of oil on broccoli and omitted rice. These were VERY good. We cook a lot and are pretty critical. LOVED these. Will make again. Thank you!
Thank you so much Ivy! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I don’t have Hoisin and I don’t want to go out due to isolation. I am missing the 5 spice to make my own. Is there any substitutes or would it throw it off?
Thanks
Kate
Hi Kate,
I would make your own and leave the chinese 5 spice out, hopefully that won’t affect the sauce too much!! I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hi!
Love your recipes and the beautiful photos of your dishes on Instagram. They always grab
my attention! I made this recipe and ran into a few issues. First, the sauce didn’t thicken. I actually have this problem often. Anytime a recipe calls for allowing a sauce to simmer/boil until reduces and thickens, my sauces never thicken. Also, my chicken meatballs were a little dry. Any tips?
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try. To thicken a sauce like this you can always add some cornstarch to help. As for the meatballs, chicken doesn’t have a lot of fat so if you are looking for something a little more juicy I would recommend using ground beef or pork. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My husband and I made these last night and absolutely loved them! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much Annemarie! I am so glad this turned out so well for the both of you! xTieghan
This looks amazing & I plan on making tonight ! I do not have pomegranate or orange juice . Would cranberry be an okay substitute ?
Yes cranberry juice would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! I’m obsessed with all your meatball recipes😋
Thank you so much Alexandra! xTieghan
I had some of the same problem that others had. I used ground turkey and the meatballs just wouldn’t hold until I added bread crumbs. I also had problems getting the sauce to thicken (and I followed the instructions exactly) so I added a little cornstarch and that thickened it right up. The sauce was delicious, and with these changes it was really tasty!
Hi Sara! I am really glad you tried this recipe and it turned out well for you! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help with! xTieghan
Made these a couple days ago and just finished the leftovers. My meatballs didn’t quite turn out like yours (they needed more cooking time and weren’t crisp, but I think that might have been because I overcrowded my baking sheet), but the combo of the gingery meatballs and sweet/sour sauce was awesome. Also, I was expecting the sauce to be super-sweet, and was very pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be pretty balanced. Thanks for your recipes! They are helping to keep me sane at home.
Hi Hannah! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help you with! xTieghan
Pretty good overall. One thing is there was no salt called for in the meat so once you bite into a meatball the inside is a bit bland. I also added some basil at the end for aromatics.
I am glad you liked this Mike! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help you with! xTieghan
Okay I was too hungry to get a good photo but these were incredible! That ginger was incredible in the meatballs! Definitely adding this to my recipe rotation. I didn’t have time to make teriyaki sauce so I used store-bought. Still delish and a time saver for me. I can’t wait to try your sauce though the next time I make these.
HAha no worries! I am just glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jolie! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This was incredibly easy! Better than take out!
Thank you so much Tina! xTieghan
This was the first recipe of yours that I made and it did not disappoint! My husband described the sauce as “incredible!” Will definitely be making this again but will double or triple the sauce because I want to put it on everything! Absolutely delicious!
Haha love that! Thank you so much for trying this Devon!! xTieghan
The sauce is fantastic! The meatballs were baaaaaad though. I knew I should have used my own meatball recipe. These were DRY. I liked that they were basic but I should have known it wasn’t enough to make them pop. Definitely make the sauce! But use a better ball recipe.
Hi Kells! I am so sorry to hear that! Is there anything that I can help you with? Please let me know! xTieghan
These were terrible. Frustrated I wasted organic ground chicken on them. Goes to show that when you have professional photography the recipe doesn’t need to hold up. The meatballs needed filler… I should have know better. They were like golf balls, hard and impossible to eat. They needed egg and breadcrumbs to lighten them.
Hi! I am so sorry that this recipe did not turn out well for you. I do create and test every recipe until I love it, so it is not just about the photos for me. Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with! Otherwise, I hope you love other recipes of mine! xTieghan
These are terrible. I don’t understand the high ratings when they are like hard impossible to eat meatballs. They needed filler like breadcrumbs and egg. I’m guessing with professional photography recipes do not need to work… it’s obvious that the low ratings are not posted. I’m trying another email to see if this one will get reflected
Hi Dawn! I am really sorry to hear that! Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with. xTieghan
I made these for dinner tonight, absolutely delicious. The meatballs tasted like chicken potsticker filling, and the sauce was wonderful. 4 year old was skeptical about it, begrudgingly admitted it was yummy but refused to eat it anyway. He prefers the butter chicken meatballs. I’m sure he’ll come around though because I’ll definitely be making these again.
Love that! Thank you so much Kristen! xTieghan
I love this recipe . Unfortunately my sauce didn’t thicken . I boiled it for ten good minutes . Even still everyone loved it !
I am really glad you all enjoyed this, Yana! Thank you for trying it! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help with! xTieghan
We’ve done this recipe twice and the sauce never seems to thicken like in the video. Are we doing something wrong?
We do enjoy the recipe, but it seems like it would be better if the sauce thickens.
Hi Glenn,
So sorry you are having issues with the sauce. You can always add a little cornstarch to help thicken it up. I hope this helps! xTieghan
These meatballs were disgusting, so dry and they tasted so bland and just plain awful.
Hi Amanda! I am so sorry to hear that! Is there anything I can help you with? xTieghan
The flavors in this dish are really good so I gave it 5 stars.
I had to improvise some because I couldn’t get my hands on some gluten free hoisin sauce. I used Thai Kitchen’s Roasted Red Chili Paste instead and I was low on soy sauce so my measurements were off too.
We use a lot of turkey and chicken in our house so its nice to find good recipes with it. This will probably go into my rotation since its super simple.
I am so happy to hear that Carolyn! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
So delicious – and honestly so quick! I use freeze dried chives, and grated ginger and minced garlic (both prepared/from jars) and the meatballs are rolled and ready to go before the oven is finished preheating. I make the sauce exactly as written, prepping and boiling down while the meatballs bake. Whole family loves them, including picky teenager and skeptical hubby. We’ve had them about 5 times in the last 6 weeks…they have replaced our semi-weekly frozen pot stickers. These are easier, tastier, healthier, and a lot less messy.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Melissa! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Made these tonight and they turned out great! I used apple juice and the flavor was amazing. I made the broccoli too and it was the perfect side. A repeat recipe for sure.
Thank you so much Rachel! xTieghan
Ok 5 stars bc it was super easy, but hear me out… this with sweet and salty coconut rice is for real a match made in HEAVEN. I added a little more heat to the sauce and the sweetness of the rice balanced it well. MAKE WITH COCONUT RICE! I will be making again.
Haha I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Riley!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Good. Can easily be made toddler friendly by leaving a few meatballs “unsauced” and serving the rice and broccoli separate.
Love that! Thank you so much Hannah! xTieghan
Hi there – would love to make this tonight but we don’t have juice of any kind on hand. Is there a substitution you might suggest or can this recipe be made without the pomegrante/OJ/apple cider component?
Hey Nick,
I would highly recommend adding the juice if possible, if not I would add a little water. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These have quickly become a recipe I keep on rotation, and it never fails! The meatballs are perfect for dinner or a quick work lunch and always taste amazing reheated. Really tastes like “at-home” Chinese takeout!! I tend to prep the rice and broccoli first to make things simple. Love this recipe so much!
I am so happy to hear that, Sydney!! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Could i use pomegranate molasses instead of juice? Decrease the amount maybe by half?
Hey Anne,
That should work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is a very tasty recipe. Based on the comments, I started the sauce 1/2 an hour before the meatballs and it was still not as thick as I thought it would be. Also, I used Perdue ground chicken and the texture of the meatball was a bit mushy/crumbly. I would use panko and an egg next time to change the consistency of the meatballs.
Thank you so much Lisa! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
Truly an easy, quick and delicious meal! I’m adding this one into my weekly rotation!
Thank you Chelsey! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
Pinterest knows me so well now, it’s pretty much stopped suggesting anyone else’s recipes. 🙂
This was another hit with the fam. I halved the recipe for two hungry men, but they asked for even more meatballs next time!
Trying the Thai Peanut Chicken tonight (spicy lime mango version), so expect another rave review soon. Thank you!
Haha wow that is too good! I am really glad you have been loving this and other recipes of mine, Lesley! Thank you! xTieghan
These are made on a regular basis in our home! We substitute ground turkey and double the sauce because it’s so yummy.
Love that! Thank you Nikki! xTieghan
When I die, please send me along with this sauce!!! Made entire recipe as written (chicken, broccoli and white Basmati rice with Persian tahdig) but halved soy sauce and increased pomegranate juice by like amount. OMG, we both nearly licked our plates. This is soooo good! And it is easy, too!
Thank you so much Linda!! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Can I use ground beef??
Hey Monet,
Sure, ground beef will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Well, in my opinion, this does not serve 4 people. For us, it was more like 2 1/2 servings. It was a tasty meal but the chicken meatballs were very dry, you definitely need the sauce so the meatballs don’t clump in your mouth. I think I would make it again.
Hi Felishia! Is there anything I can help with to make this better next time? I would love to! xTieghan
Can I just say that you have made cooking so much more pleasurable since the pandemic.. My daughter turned me on to you and I havent tried a bad recipe yet. You recipes are all amazing!
You are too sweet! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Christina!! Thank you! xTieghan
I made these the other night and they were AMAZING! The only thing I would recommend is doubling or tripling the sauce – it is THAT good! Making this again next week. Thank you Tieghan – everything I’ve made from your website has been amazing.
Wow that is so amazing! Thank you so much Carol! xTieghan
My husband and I LOVED this. It seems like anytime we make an Asian dish it just never turns out right but the flavors in this one were so great. It’s rare that we find a new recipe that’s a keeper and this definitely made the cut. We made some Asian noodles on the side instead of rice. So good!
Thank you so much Sarah! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This looks delicious, and I can’t wait to make it! I noticed you advised your readers to make sure their hoisin sauce was gluten free if needed. I would add that soy sauce is made from wheat (2nd ingredient after water) unless marked gluten free. Thanks for all that you do!
Thank you so much Kat! xTieghan
Made the meatballs for dinner tonight with ground turkey- YUM!!!
Thank you so much Piper! xTieghan
A family favorite! I also add roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes! I make at least once a month! 🙂
Thank you so much Darragh! xTieghan
Hi– so excited to try this recipe– is fresh ginger the same as ginger root ? I have never worked with fresh ginger before! Do I peel the ginger root or just grate ? thank you!
Hey Kerin,
Yes it is and yes you will want to peel first. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi – love your recipes. Making the sticky chicken meatballs tomorrow night. Question – my husband does not like honey in his food – even the smallest amounts he seems to taste. What could i use instead, or can I just omit? Thank you! Virginia
Hey Virginia,
I would just omit the honey. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The sauce was really good but the meatballs were incredibly dry. We couldn’t even really eat the meatballs.
Hi! I am so sorry about that. Are there any questions I can help with? xTieghan
Tieghan I always say you are the queen of all things, dips, sauces, glazes, marinades etc., but you outdid yourself with this recipe! It was so easy, quick and so delicious! I will make this again and again!
Thank you so much Sandi! xTieghan
I literally saw this post and started drooling. I will be making these for dinner tonight and I can’t wait. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
~ XOXO, Amanda // Blonde out of Water
http://www.blondeoutofwater.com
Thank you so much! I hope you love these! xTieghan
The flavor was great! Sadly user error I overcooked them so they came out too dry(about 18min in the oven, I was looking for crispy/golden brown but I ended up just drying then out). Would totally try again for how easy and flavorful this was!
Love that! Thank you so much, Madison! xTieghan
Really liked this recipe! I made a few rookie mistakes though – thought this might help someone else:
1.Don’t overcook the chicken meatballs. They may not brown up even if they are fully cooked. I may try beef next time too for a little more flavor.
2. The sauce needs 15-20 minutes to cool/thicken. We couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t thickening so we ate the dish with the more liquid sauce, and by the time we were finished eating the leftover sauce had thickened. Next time I’ll make the sauce earlier to allow more time to cool.
3. Don’t use full sodium soy sauce instead of low sodium as the recipe calls for! It made the dish way too salty, and I’m a big fan of salt.
Thank you for trying this and sharing some suggestions! xTieghan
Tried it, with subs and tweaks of what i had on hand. But quite liked learning to make the Hoisin sauce and for the first time. It came out a bit too sweet but looking to balance it out with more rice vinegar and sriracha. I’ll make it again with a tad more ginger and possibly green chilies in the kebab to satisfy my indian taste buds. I also added sesame seeds to the kebab mixture as per a family recipe. We had it with pasta instead, but I’m eager to try it again soon with rice. Either way, spruced up the menu and has given us a new flavour addition to our family meals. Thanks for the post
Thank you for trying this one, Saf! I am really glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
first time caller, long time listener 🙂 made these last night and they were delightful! i will be adding this recipe to the greatest hits list and excited to make some of your other recipes i’ve earmarked for the future. uncertain if you or other home cooks do this, but i take an extra step, and instead of buying a package of ground chicken at the grocery store, i take boneless chicken thighs (skin on or skin off), cut them into 1-2 inch pieces, flash freeze and then process them in my food processor for about a minute to make my own ground chicken. i find this extra step creates a more tasty and crispy chicken meatball! other than that, i followed your recipe to a T and it came out great! thank you for all you do, Tieghan!
Ooo I love that you do it yourself! So cool! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Cathleen! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Made these this evening with turkey instead of chicken. They were incredible!
Thank you Dani! xTieghan
Have been looking forward to making this since you posted it. I made it tonight with turkey mince as that’s all I could get hold of and it was so delicious! The ginger and onions inside the meat made them so nice and fragrant. Thank you!
I definitely spent a long time reducing the sauce- will use a bigger pan next time.
Love that! Thank you for trying this recipe! xTieghan
A couple of weeks ago I made the sticky chicken with Brussels sprouts and then my brother tried this one so I wanted to try it. I just made it so we can reheat it after my yoga class. So my plan is to put the new meatballs in the sauce in that pan and then we can reheat that. I hope it will coat the meatballs nicely
Lessons learned:
The sauce definitely needs to boil for the specified time -I forgot that I told myself I would make it earlier to let it sit and not thicken.
Re the chicken meatballs – love the flavor but think I will add a small amount of panko or flour next time for binding. Unlike the other meatballs I’ve made from you these steamed and fell apart -there was nothing to absorb the liquid from the chicken. I will cook them on their own pan for a little less time.
Hi Carol! I am glad this recipe turned out well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
The flavors were delightful, but my glaze never thickened despite cooking it extra long. And that oven better be screaming hot or you’ll never get a good crisp on your meatballs.
I have a old 1940s Chamber’s stove that takes about 3.5 years to come to temp and I just didn’t give it enough time. I definitely want to make this again, hopefully I can get it to crisp and get sticky instead of being pasty and wet.
Hi Karin! I am really glad these turned out well for you! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
I want to make these but don’t have broccoli or green onions…can I sub red bell peppers for the veg and scallions in the meatballs?
Hey Brooke,
Sure that would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So I made this tonight and loved all the flavors. Only thing I don’t understand is my meatballs didn’t come out as dark as yours…I always follow instructions to the dot but these came out very light. Should I have boiled the sauce longer?
Nevertheless, it was incredibly tasty and had the right amount of heat.
Hey Lola,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, so sorry about the meatballs! Did you adjust anything in the recipe? Sounds like your sauce may not have been thick enough, next time try adding a little cornstarch to help thicken it up. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Great! Everyone loved it, next time I have to double or triple the recipe. I finished the last 2-3 min cooking the meatballs in the sauce, a frying pan instead of in the oven.
Thank you so much Lena! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Delicious! I used ground turkey and orange juice.
Amazing! Thank you Caitlin! xTieghan
This recipe is a definite win! My picky eater even said this meal is a definite keeper! I did end up putting the meatballs under the broiler for the 2-3 minutes at the end. Meatballs were delicious and not dry; sticky sauce is fantastic!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you both, Julee! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
We made this last night for supper and my whole family loved it! We made a few minor substitutions, but we’ll definitely be making it again!
Love to hear that! Thank you Alisha! xTieghan
This was the first HBH recipe I tried. I’ve made them twice now with ground pork. Delicious! My husband whose skeptical about anything new, enjoyed them, so I knew we had a keeper. They’ll now part of our regular dinner rotation.
Wow I am so happy you both loved this, Tracey! Thank you! xTieghan
This was my first meal cooking from scratch in my apartment. Thank you for the great recipe and including the side of broccoli and rice. I will definitely be making more!
Thank you so much Nicole! xTieghan
Made this last week and it was DELICIOUS! Great recipe, will definitely make it again! Thanks!
Thank you so much Kelli! I am so glad you enjoyed this one! xTieghan
One of my favorite recipes I have tried from HBH.
The recipe is pretty quick, and easy. I personally enjoyed it better with the squash over the broccoli. I also put some ginger in the rice to make a ginger rice!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Monica! Thank you for trying it!! xTieghan
Delish! Easy to prepare on a week night.
Love to hear that! Thank you Erin! xTieghan
Outstanding! The sauce was perfect and got better the longer it sat.
Thank you so much Samantha! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
So good! The sauce wouldn’t thicken for me so I added one TBSP corn starch and it thickened perfectly. I decided to steam the broccoli (prefer it to baked) and tossed the meatballs and broccoli in the sauce served over rice with orange slices on the side. Closest, healthiest meal I’ve ever made to Chinese takeout! Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much Erika! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe was so delicious!! I used ground turkey instead because it was what I had in the freezer and it tasted amazing! Thank you for these lovely recipes 🙂
Thank you Hillary! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight. The sauce has a nice kick. Be careful not to overcook your meatballs!
Thank you Jessica! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was SO GOOD. My sauce didn’t thicken up and, quite frankly, I tasted it and I was all about eating! I’m sure it would have, but I had no patience. Over cauliflower rice, I had myself a delicious, nutritious meal and the touch of heat/spice is perfect! Thank you!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Wendi! Thank you! xTieghan
I couldn’t get the sauce to reduce down thick enough to look like it did in your photo but the dish was absolutely delicious!
I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lisa!! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
These were great. I substituted Impossible meat for the chicken and had with riced cauliflower and spring veggies. Delicious!
Thank you so much Kristie! I am really happy this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I was really excited to try this recipe (and everything from this website cus YUM!), and it still came out good, just not exactly how I had imagined. The sauce seemed a little too sweet (and the red pepper was really overpowering, but maybe that was user error), so I didn’t get the sesame oil/ginger flavor that I was craving and expecting to be the dominant taste. Also, we did about tablespoon size balls, but they look much smaller than the recipe’s pictures (and much uglier, but I’ll blame that one on me not being a professional chef). Overall, the recipe was good, but maybe on a redo I’d go heavier on the ginger and sesame oil and lighter on the sweeter additions (and red pepper flakes). Overall, I’m glad I tried this recipe as I’d had my eye on it for a while. Many more of your recipes to be experimented with this weekend xx 🙂
Hi Mackenzie! If there is anything I can help with for this one, please let me know! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes!! xTieghan
These look absolutely delish! I am going I make these tomorrow for the football game. I don’t have broccoli. You think peppers would be a good accompaniment?
Hey Tina,
Yes, peppers would work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Help! I love your recipes and I can’t get them sticky! I reduced the sauce fro twice as long and it is always too runny and doesn’t stick. The flavors are amazing and love your recipes. What am I doing wrong?
Hey Sarah,
Try adding some cornstarch to help thicken the sauce up. I hope this helps! xTieghan
I wanted to love this and I must say the sauce was unbelievably delicious. My problem was with the chicken meatballs. They go from cooked to sawdust in seconds. They were so dry from the lack of fat it was not good. I will try this again maybe with pork mixed with extra fat. I absolutely will use that sauce in other dishes.
Your work is well loved in our family. Thank you for your time and efforts.
Hi Mark! I am sorry these did not turn out as expected. Please let me know if there is anything I can help with or anything that could have changed while making this. I would love to help! xTieghan
My daughter(4 years old)who has been very dinner picky loved these and has been asking me to make them again. There is no greater compliment then that!
Aw that is so great! I am really glad you both have been enjoying this recipe, Michelle! xTieghan
My sister made these for me last night because I have been wanting to try them and they are delish!!! I love that the meatballs stay together without a binder and we could make this recipe GF no problem. I thought the squash would be weird (we also added broccoli) but surprisingly it goes well. Ill definitely be making this again thank you!
Thank you so much Lori! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Too tangy. I made this for an extended family dinner, and it received poor taste reviews from all 7 family members and me. They are not ones to generally complain about the dinners I make, including new recipes I try.
This was GREAT! Made it last night and was a success. You might want to double the sauce recipe because it is delicious and was also great on the rice. The only addition was a little maple syrup on the winter squash. Thank you so much for the work that went into it. Very appreciated!!!
Thank you Gabe! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
Thanks for another great recipe, Tieghan! You never steer us wrong. I did have one small question. When I made this recipe tonight, the meatballs never got “crispy” and I even added a few more mins to the cooking time. Also, quite a lot of liquid came out of the meatballs (which may have been the culprit for non-crispness). In any case, it still came out delicious—the meatballs moist despite the expelled liquid—but I was just wondering if you have a further tips for correction! Many, many thanks for all this goodness!
Thank you so much Maryam! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I have made dozens of HBH recipes over the years and I’ve never been disappointed. This is the first time I’ve been truly underwhelmed. I followed the recipe exactly. The meatballs (I used chicken) were bland and had a weird texture I didn’t appreciate. The sauce never thickened, so I drizzled it over the meatballs and rice. It tasted good but was pretty sweet. If I tried this again, I’d use a sturdier meat (pork, maybe) and add an egg. I’d cut the sweetness of the sauce in half and add some kind of thickener. But, I’d rather stick to my other HBH favorites.
Hi Molly! I am sorry this recipe did not turn out as expected.. Please let me know if there anything I can do to help!! xTieghan
Made these tonight! Super good- family requesting them again next week. The sauce is incredible. Not a difficult recipe and could make big batch and freeze or meal prep for the week.
That is so amazing to hear, Sheila!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I have cooked this twice. It’s great and my husband loved it. We love all of your recipes though! I keep ground turkey and chicken on hand so the meatballs are good for me – these, the Butter Chicken meatballs and the Coq Au Vin meatballs.
Hey Dee,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
OMG! This was so delicious and easy! I will definitely be making this again. I used store bought hoisin sauce, next time I’ll try your homemade version.
Hey Pam,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I made the chicken meatballs with rice & broccoli ( I didn’t have any squash) last night exactly as it was posted & it is a fantastic dish! The combination of ingredients in the sauce was really flavourful! ! I agree with Tieghan don’t skip the pomegranate juice if you can help it. My husband commented that this one needs to be in our regular rotation. Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Lori,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Yummy! Love me any meatball recipe, but this one was deliciously different from most meatball recipes! Will make again. I had to sub apple cider for the pomegranate juice. I also quickly sautéed some veggies to serve them on for myself, and rice for my hubby. Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Krystal,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Hi, making these now. I see that the sauce recipe calls for 2 tbsp oil but then in the directions you call for 1…?
Hey Dana,
You are using 1 tablespoon of oil in step 2 and 1 tablespoon in step 3. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made these sticky chicken meatballs and doubled the recipe. The sauce was very good but the chicken meatballs were too dense and almost tough. Personal taste, I think I would do it again using pork and a little bread crumbs because they need a little fat in them.
Hey Ellen,
Thanks for trying the recipe, I am sorry you found the meatballs to be dense, let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Take the meatballs out of the oven as per directions. Don’t wait for them to brown. They were dried out and horrible.
Hey Bonnie,
So sorry your meatballs were dry, please let me know how I can help for next time! xTieghan
So good! My sauce didn’t thicken up in the saucepan but still delicious! Another fabulous recipe. Thank you Tieghan! This is the 6th recipe of yours that I’ve made in 2 weeks. All terrific! My husband keeps asking me if I’m saving the recipes .
Hey Chris,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Tieghan strikes again! Super easy to follow recipe that yields a super delicious end result! Totally appreciated the mentioned subs for pom juice as I did not have that on hand. I went with OJ. Next time I will double the recipe to keep a stash at the ready in the freezer.
Hey Ciara,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Really enjoyed the sauce and flavors of this recipe, but the texture of the meatballs ended up so off. Hard to explain the texture exactly, but I’d say sort of mushy? Would love any suggestions on how to make this recipe work in the future!
I used ground turkey (I believe 97%).
Thanks!
Hey Sam,
So sorry you did not enjoy the meatballs. How did you cook them? I find my cast iron skillet really gives the best sear, if you don’t have one I would try baking at 425 for 10-15 minutes. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
So flavorful and easy!!! Have made this 3 times and will be printing it out to save forever!
Hey Liza,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Even better as leftovers! This dish was easy and absolutely, perfectly delicious.
Hey Tanya,
I am so thrilled that you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it:) xTieghan
Phenomenal! I make them over and over again and have shared the recipe with countless others. They love it too!
Hey Martha,
I so appreciate you giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
How can I sub pomegranate molasses?
Hey Justine,
This recipe does not call for pomegranate molasses. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
One word: INCREDIBLE! Sweet, savory, and oh so tasty. I used Bosque honey, which is nearly black in color and has a really strong, rich, slightly-bitter-almost-smoky flavor which was the PERFECT addition to the sauce. Buckwheat honey or another dark honey would probably taste great too. Thanks for sharing a delicious recipe!
Hey Erin,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
Flavor was great. Doubled sauce because who doesn’t want more sauce? Made mine with turkey. Texture was a little dry and dusty. Next time will add a little panade (milk and bread crumbs)
Hey Ken,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Happy Friday! xTieghan
My husband usually doesn’t like cooked broccoli but said it was amazing with this meal because of the sauce (I used orange juice instead of pomegranate juice since we always have OJ in the fridge)! Thanks for a great recipe that will become a dinner staple in our home!
Hey Anna,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Convenient, healthy and delicious.
Thanks so much Natalie! xTieghan
Delicious flavors!
My only concern and I’m sure I did something wrong- I couldn’t get my sauce to thicken! Any suggestions or trouble shooting?
Thank you! XO
Hey Terri,
Awesome, I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for giving it a try! Sorry about your sauce, you can always add a little cornstarch to thicken it up! xTieghan
Made this tonight. Used GF soy sauce and OJ instead of pomegranate juice. Steamed broccoli on the side. It was sooooooo delicious. Going into my regular weeknight rotation. Thanks heaps. X
Hey Shari,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
A great spin on an asian-inspired dish! Loved the pomegranate arils to bring a sort of tang to the saltiness.
Thanks so much Meagan! xTieghan
Just made this for my family tonight and it was a hit! We all loved it. Made it with turkey and orange juice and not the pomegranate juice. I did add a tbsp of cornstarch to thicken the sauce up a bit. Will be making this again. Thanks!
Hey Vanessa,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this last night night. Very good.
Hey Joyce,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan
These were SOO good! Super easy, followed the recipe to a T, and even better as leftovers the next day! Next time I will definitely be making more to freeze! Honestly, HBH recipes never disappoint. Thank you!
Hey Brittany,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xxTieghan
I loved the flavor of the chicken and the sauce is to die for! I ran into two issues, one, my sauce did not thicken up. It was still pretty liquid-y. Two, thr chicken kept crumbling on my fork, so I think next time I’ll add an egg so that it binds the chicken together.
Hey Valerie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Try using cornstarch to help thicken the sauce as needed. Have a fantastic week! xTieghan
Delicious! I also had trouble with the glaze thickening so I transferred it to a nonstick skillet. The larger surface area did the trick!
Thank you!
Hey Nancy,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan