These easy chicken teriyaki meatballs are a high-protein meal with vegetables packed in discretely (for unsuspecting toddlers, children, and adults). Make these healthy chicken meatballs with ground chicken breast, carrots, onion, green onion, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and fresh ginger.
These baked chicken meatballs are the juiciest meatballs, packed with flavor and personality. Another profoundly satisfying meatball recipe is this Italian spaghetti and meatball recipe. Or, if you are looking for another great minced chicken recipe, check out these ground chicken kafta patties.
Serve these chicken teriyaki meatballs with steamed white rice, fried rice, vermicelli rice, or blanched asparagus.
What's Great About This Recipe
Baked chicken teriyaki meatballs are a great way to get lean proteins in with Asian flavor. I am always looking for a good meal prep recipe for tracking macros. Serve this easy recipe as a main dish or a delicious appetizer.
These Asian meatballs are the best chicken meatballs ever! They are quick and easy to make, perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Another great thing is that they reheat well and make great leftovers (hello, busy weeks!).
Ingredient Notes
- Carrots: I recommend large carrots so they are easier to grate.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: I highly recommend using fresh ginger and fresh garlic for this recipe. Dried ginger can not be substituted.
- Green onions and onion: Both types of onions add a different flavor. The regular onion keeps the chicken meatballs moist (along with the carrots) as they are baking. The green onion compliments the teriyaki seasoning.
- Honey: Honey is imperative to these meatballs having a teriyaki flavor.
- Sesame oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce: The exact brands I use are below. You can find these at a local supermarket, Asian supermarket, or on Amazon.
- Ground chicken breast: These baked chicken teriyaki meatballs are moist, flavorful, and delicious, with lean ground meat like ground chicken breast. Alternatively, use lean ground turkey or lean ground beef. For this recipe, I went with lean ground chicken breast.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
How To Make Baked Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
Peel the carrots, ginger, and garlic. Using a handheld zester, zest the carrots, ginger, and garlic.
Hint: You may need to scrape the back of the zester after zesting the ginger and garlic because they stick to the zester.
Pro Tip: Cheese graters sometimes come with a zesting plane. The garlic, ginger, and carrots should be zested, not grated.
Wash and chop the green onion and onion. Measure the honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper into a large bowl with the ground chicken breast. Add the chopped green onion, onion, grated carrots, ginger, and garlic.
Mix everything really well.
Using a large cookie scoop, scoop the chicken teriyaki mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. For six servings, count on about 20 to 24 large meatballs (that's four meatballs per serving).
Pop the chicken teriyaki meatballs into the oven at 425 ℉ (218 ℃) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve with a side of steamed rice, grilled veggies, or mashed potatoes.
Tips and Tricks
- Zest the ginger, garlic, and carrots. Don't use a grater. Use a zester or a grater with a zesting microplane to finely zest these meatball ingredients.
- Use a cookie scoop: The ground chicken mixture is sticky, so it's hard to roll in between your hands. A cookie scoop evenly measures out the meatballs.
- Don't overbake to keep the meatballs moist. Chicken should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 ℉ (74 ℃).
Variations and Substitutions
- Use a small cookie scoop in lieu of a large cookie scoop. If all you have on hand is a small cookie scoop, that will work. The cooking time will reduce by about 5 minutes.
- Make these in a large skillet. Add some cookie spray or a little olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cover while cooking on the stovetop.
- Substitute ground turkey or ground pork for ground chicken.
- Use hoisin sauce instead of oyster sauce. These sauces are different in taste, but both add flavor to the meat mixture.
- Substitute agave nectar, brown sugar, or maple syrup for honey.
- Use a garlic press or mortar and pestle for the garlic instead of zesting the garlic with a zester.
- Make these Asian style chicken meatballs spicy by adding some red pepper flakes or finely chopped fresh peppers.
- Make a side of teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan for saucy meatballs.
Equipment
- Zester to zest the garlic, ginger, and carrots.
- Peeler to peel the carrots
- Chef's knife and cutting board to chop the green onion and onion
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
Storage
Store the leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, freeze the chicken meatballs in a freezer-friendly container. To reheat, thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
FAQs
Steamed rice, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a vegetable lo mein noodle dish.
Teriyaki sauce is traditionally made with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Some teriyaki sauce recipes include fresh garlic and ginger.
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📋 Recipe
Baked Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground chicken breast
- 2 large carrots or 3 medium carrots
- 7 to 9 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- ½ large onion
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 green onion sprigs
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt to taste about 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 ℉ (218 ℃).
- Peel the ginger, garlic, and carrots. Using a zester (different from a cheese grater), zest the carrots, ginger, and garlic into the same bowl.
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash and chop the green onion. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, sesame oil, black pepper, and salt. Mix well together. Then add the carrots, ginger, garlic, onion, and green onion. Mix well again until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out the chicken teriyaki mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet leaving a minimum of a 1.5" gap in between each meatball. If using a large cookie scoop, this recipe makes about 20 to 24 meatballs.
- Place the chicken teriyaki meatballs in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to a minimum temperature of 165 ℉ (74 ℃).
- Serve with a side of steamed rice.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Substitute agave nectar for honey.
- Use a garlic press instead of zesting the garlic.
Susan
I love this recipe. I make a double batch and keep them in my freezer. I use them mainly with an Instant Pot recipe for General Tso chicken with rice. The recipe cook time is 4 minutes plus a 12 minute natural release, which is really the rice cook time. My husband loves them.
Lily
Wow, thanks for the comment and recipe modification! I need to try them with general tso sauce- I bet they are delicious.
Felicia
Perfect for high protein meals!!! These are delicious and vibrant flavors. I skipped the carrots because I didn’t want to grate them, and it turned out perfect.
Lily
Thanks for the comment and tips you have making it!
Elise
Lilly: Stumbled upon your site and am excited to try at least five of your recipes starting with the Asian chicken meatballs. Excellent instructions, tempting recipes and such a nice variety to choose from. 🙂
Lily
Hi Elise, Welcome! Let me know if you have any questions for the recipes. And let us know any feedback or variations you might try!