These Asian Chicken Meatballs are so quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot. Filled with gingery goodness and topped with a sweet and savory sauce, they are perfect for lunch, dinner, or an app for gameday! This post contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with.
Confession: I have a major obsession with the sauce in this recipe.
Like I want eat it on everything. Or fill a pool and swim in it. Too much?
It started with my Crock Pot Asian Chicken, followed by the Instant Pot Asian Chicken. Then Asian Pork Tenderloin. And the Asian Steak Lettuce Wraps.
And now…these Asian Chicken Meatballs.
Little bites full of gingery-garlic goodness smothered in my sweet and savory Asian inspired sauce. I can’t even, guys.
Short on time? You MUST try this Ground Chicken Stir Fry with Green Beans – same ideas as these meatballs, but SO fast.
More Reasons to love these Asian Chicken Meatballs
- You can make them start to finish in your Instant Pot and that includes the sauce
- They make an amazing protein topper for veggies bowls – I love cauliflower rice and green beans.
- They are perfect for meal prep.
- They freeze like a dream.
- You can make cocktail sized meatballs for your next party! WOOOHOOO
- If you don’t have time to saute them first, you can throw them right in your pot and cook them raw in the sauce and they will STILL be delicious.
- And, again, the sauce is life.
Ingredients needed for these Asian Chicken Meatballs
For the Meatballs:
- Cooking oil spray – I like coconut, avocado or olive oil spray
- 1lb ground chicken – you can sub ground turkey, ground beef, or ground pork
- 1 T coconut aminos – you can sub low sodium soy sauce if you aren’t gluten free
- 1 egg
- 2 T minced green onions
- 1 T minced ginger
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- ½ cup of matchstick carrots, diced up small – I love adding a veggie my kids won’t pick out, lol!
- ¼ cup gluten free or whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp sea or Himalayan salt
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1/3 cup of coconut aminos
- 1 T tomato paste – free your extra paste to use in another recipe!
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 T finely chopped ginger
- a dash of crushed red pepper
- 2 tsp gluten-free flour (sub arrowroot or tapioca for paleo, sub whole wheat if no other dietary restrictions)
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot? Can I still make these little bites of heaven?
Of course! I will add Oven, Air Fryer, and Slow Cooker Instructions for you at the bottom of this post as long as you promise to read this: 5 Reasons Why You Need an Instant Pot. Deal? Deal.
What can I serve these Asian Chicken Meatballs with?
These meatballs are awesome for Meal Prep and because of the outta this world delicious sauce, I love making bowls with them. They make cauli rice and veggies taste amazing, but also work great with rice and noodles! They would be awesome on a salad, in a lettuce wrap, or even in gluten-free wrap. You could also make them with my Kung Pao Cauliflower or Cilantro Lime Coleslaw.
More Instant Pot Asian Inspired Favorites:
Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli (21 Day Fix)
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli (21 Day Fix)
21 Day Fix Chicken Pad Thai Zoodles (Low Carb/Gluten Free/ Dairy Free)
21 Day Fix Simple Stir Fry with Chicken and Veggies
Healthy Chicken Ramen Noodle Stir Fry [Gluten-free | 21 Day Fix | Weight Watchers]
21 Day Fix Kung Pao Cauliflower
Instant Pot Ramen Noodles (Stovetop Option) | 21 Day Fix Ramen Noodles (Gluten-free/Dairy-free)
Instant Pot Asian Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- Cooking oil spray
- 1 lb ground chicken 98% fat free for WW
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons minced green onions
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup matchstick carrots diced up small
- ¼ cup gluten free or whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon sea or Himalayan salt
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil use 1 tsp for WW
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- Dash crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free flour only needed for IP cooking method (sub arrowroot or tapioca for paleo, sub whole wheat if no other dietary restrictions)
Instructions
- Using your hands, gently mix ingredients for meatballs. Begin forming the meatballs and place on a plate or tray. You should be able to make 16 meatballs total, depending on the size. You can also make smaller, cocktail size meatballs, if you wish, by using a melon baller.
- Mix the ingredients for sauce, except for the flour, and set aside.
Instant Pot:
- Set IP to saute and spray liberally with cooking oil. Brown meatballs in batches. If your meatballs are sticking too much, add in some coconut or olive oil.
- After the meatballs are browned, deglaze the pot with some water and return the meatballs to the pot and cover with sauce. Set IP to 10 minutes. After cook time, do a 5 minute natural release.
- Remove meatballs and make a slurry by mixing the flour and ¼ cup of the remaining liquid. Set instant pot to saute and add in slurry, stirring until sauce thickens.
- Serve in bowls with cauli rice, rice, and/or veggies!
Oven:
- Bake Meatballs at 350 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
- While meatballs are cooking, combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on the stove until sauce begins to thicken.
- Mix meatballs with sauce and serve. I like mine with cauli rice and green beans.
Air Fryer:
- Cook on 400 for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.
- While meatballs are cooking, combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on the stove until sauce begins to thicken.
- Mix meatballs with sauce and serve. I like mine with cauli rice and green beans.
Slow Cooker:
- Add sauce and meatballs to your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Give everything a good stir and serve! I like mine with cauli rice and green beans.
Heathet says
When you deglaze the pot with water do you toss the water or keep it in the pot?
Nancylynn says
Just use a splash of water and it will cook down, no need to toss it!
Gabby says
Love this recipe so much! I’ve made it multiple times & always have the ingredients on hand. I was wondering what the calorie count of just the meatballs would be without the sauce?
Nancylynn says
Thanks Gabby! So glad you love the meatball recipe! Our recipe card nutrition info includes both the sauce and the meatballs. Myfitnesspal could help you figure out the calorie count of the meatballs without the sauce- just input the ingredients you used, and it will calculate for you! Such a great tool!
Dee says
If I’m using my slow cooker, do I add the flour to the sauce before cooking? Sorry if I misread this but I don’t see any mention of how to incorporate the flour for slow cookers since it’s left out in step 2.
Nancylynn says
The flour is only needed for the IP method. It’s in fine print on the ingredient list, so might be easily missed. I’ll brainstorm how to make it more clear- thanks!
Susan says
I currently use a premade brand for a favorite instant pot recipe and came across yours. it looked like it will work just fine. mybquestion is I make my recipe pot in pot, meatballs and sauce in bottom with trivet and pan with rice above. I usually do 4 minutes high pressure with a 12 minute slow release, then thicken. Do you think the time change will be okay for the chicken to be cooked properly?
Nancylynn says
I would do at least 6 minutes of cooktime, with an 8-10 minute natural release. Let us know how it goes!
Valerie says
Tonight was our first try making this. I used ground antelope meat instead of chicken (as venison, antelope, and pheasants substitute beef and chicken in our house). It was amazing! I doubled the recipe so I could have meals for lunches and the rest of my family can have an extra meal as well. Will be making this a regular on our table!
Nancylynn says
That’s perfect Valerie! Thanks for letting us know how your substitution went! Also- I agree doubling these is a must!!
Jane Allen says
Outstanding especially with those allergic or sensitive to soy sauce! This is like eating a fine cuisine. Pair it with Cauliflower rice and green beans and you’ll be set! I actually like ground chicken now! Thank you so much for all your hard work and sharing. God bless!
Nancylynn says
Love it with cauli rice and green beans too! And totally agree that the sauce makes it! Thank you Jane!
Emily says
These have become a staple in my freezer. I preform them and freeze them raw. With steamed veggies, they are a quick protein for a lunch any day no sauce needed! Working from home with two kids I’m always looking for quick and healthy!
Nancylynn says
Emily, this is genius!! Thank you for sharing!
If you get a minute, would you mind adding a star rating to your comment? It helps other readers know that it’s a must-try! Thank you so much!
Katrina says
This was so good! We all loved it including my 3 yo. This recipe is a keeper.
Kerri says
If you are using the crock pot do you cook/brown the meatballs ahead of time?
Nancylynn says
No, you don’t need to brown them first, but you certainly can if you wanted to!
Jen says
Made these using the air fryer instructions and they turned out great, except a touch dry inside. Hubs likes it that way, but I will add spinach or another veg to add moisture next time. The sauce was delicious. I used maple syrup instead of honey because we prefer the flavor and it was a huge hit. Thank you!
Nancylynn says
This is great feedback! Thank you Jen!
Janice says
I’ve made these a couple of times now and tonight I decided to try something different. Instead of making meatballs I did a “deconstructed” version: just cooked up the all the meatball ingredients (minus the panko and egg) as plain ol’ ground chicken, made up the sauce (minus the thickening agent) and poured it all over rice. Saved me lots of time and the flavor was just PERFECT (just like the other times). I was doing quick meal prep through out the day and this took less than 30 minutes (probably less, I didn’t time it) 😁 👍 Thanks again for the wonderful recipe 💕
Nancylynn says
I. AM. DROOLING. at this idea! Thank you for sharing!
Rachel says
My 3 1/2 year-old won’t eat anything I make and she loved these. I used ground beef and cooked them in the oven. We tripled the batch! Thanks for the great recipe.
Nancylynn says
That is amazing!! Triple batch, wow!
Stephanie says
Hi Nancylynn,
I don’t have coconut aminos, only low-sodium soy sauce. Would I still use 1/3 low-sodium soy sauce in place of the 1/3 cup coconut aminos? I wasn’t sure if soy sauce is saltier and therefore, less should be used or if these are truly interchangeable ingredients. Thank you!
Kelley everetts says
Do not recommend browning meatballs in the Instapot, worked much better in a non stick pan. Also would recommend a little bit more breadcrumbs to bind the meatballs.
Nancylynn says
Thanks for the feedback! Yes, if the instant pot isn’t SUPER hot the meatballs can stick. Glad the stove worked out better for you!
Mary says
Thanks for sharing this recipe! If we are using the air fryer method, do we still brown the meatballs first?
Nancylynn says
Nope! Just go straight to air frying!
Megan says
I know Nancylynn is on it! (She does a great job responding!) I used the air fryer to cook them and I just wanted to tell you they only take a few minutes. Watch them closely ! My first batch was a little crispier than I was expecting, but still delicious.
Michelle says
I made them in the air fryer tonight and they were crispy perfection! Your recipes are always a hit with my whole family. Thank you!
Nancylynn says
This is great news, thank you so much for letting me know!
Alissa says
This was amazing! My kids asked for seconds and I even saved the last couple tablespoons of sauce. I don’t know what I’ll put it on but it was delicious! I did add a little more breadcrumbs because they seemed really wet still and I subbed the fresh ginger for ground since I’d forgotten to add the fresh to my grocery list this week. Will 100% make this again!
Nancylynn says
Thank you so much for this comment! Enjoy that sauce- dip some veggies in there!
Heather says
I got a burn notice as soon as my IP came to pressure. What should I do differently next time?
Nancylynn says
What size IP do you have? Is it newer or older? I would make sure you deglaze the pot before adding in the sauce. You could also add more water!
Megan says
This was an amazing recipe. I took your advice and doubled the meatballs so I could freeze some for later and I am so glad that I did. The sauce was very easy, but did find that I needed to cook it awhile to make it as thick as I would like. Can that sauce be frozen after I make it? I am expecting and am trying to meal prep for when the little when arrives.
Nancylynn says
Thank you for this feedback! Yes, you can freeze the sauce! And congrats on the baby coming.. great job getting ready early!
Amaia says
This recipe is great! Just while I was cooking the smell was delicious! My 2 year old loved it! I found it too salty, so next time I will use less salt and less soya sauce as I don’t have aminos round here. I did the instant pot version but my meatballs broke. I used chicken mince and whole wheat breadcrumbs (a real dry whole bread slice I made crumbs with it), maybe it was that? Any ideas so I can have whole meatballs? Adding more egg? More breadcrumbs? I didn’t mind it, as still, they were amazing! I didn’t know I could cook a so tasty sauce at home! Thanks for your great recipes!!
Nancylynn says
Thank you so much for taking the time to rate and give some feedback – so happy your 2 year old loved it too!
You are not alone in the meatballs falling apart. While this doesn’t happen for me, I’ve heard from other readers that it has for them. If you’re willing to give them another shot, make sure the pot is super hot and displays the word HOT on the front before adding the meatballs. This will help them not to stick. If you still don’t have luck, the oven version might be the next best option! Thanks for trying to problem solve!
Melissa says
This is always a hit with my family! We make it with lean ground beef – delicious!
Nancylynn says
That’s a great tip- thank you!!
Stacey says
These meatballs were delicious! The only thing that I was disappointed about when I made it was that I didn’t double the recipe to have more leftovers. I will be adding this to my dinner rotation.
Nancylynn says
That’s awesome, Stacey! Thank you for taking the time to rate and review!! ❤️
Shaina Schultz says
When you broke down the containers for 21 Day Fix, what do you mean by “3 sweetener tsp?”
Nancylynn says
While on the 21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix Autumn gives us clear rules about what we can use our teaspoons on- oils, nut butters, mayo, and butter. BUT in the “tea and coffee bar” section of the program materials, Autumn says you can have 1-2 tsp of things like maple syrup or honey in 1-2 cups of coffee per day.
She does not, however, count these sweeteners in her recipes. I have begun to note it in my newer recipes because I think it’s important to keep in mind. While there’s a little bit of gray area here, I am hoping this provides some clarification. So, since I only use the tiniest bit of sweetener in my coffee each morning, I’m comfortable using some of the “leftover” sweetener teaspoons throughout my day.
Kristina says
Hi there, i follow Ultimate portion fix as well, but I follow it strictly and don’t use “sweetener tsp”. What do you recommend to change in this recipe to accommodate not wanting to count that in my daily containers? Thanks! Love your recipes!
Nancylynn says
So I can best answer your question, can you clarify: you don’t use any added sweetener throughout your day in coffee or desserts or anything?
Maudie A. says
Oh my word! These are absolutely wonderful! I made a double batch trusting the reviews and boy am I glad I did! They are like gold when I pull them out. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
Nancylynn says
YAY!!!! This is awesome, Maudie! You are so very welcome!
Ashlyn says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! If your cooking the meatballs in the oven, do you cook the sauce on the stovetop?
Nancylynn says
Yes! Will clarify directions-
Kalene says
My daughter is allergic to egg, wonder if you could sub it somehow or get rid of it all together. Your thoughts?
Nancylynn says
I think you could sub it with an egg replacer like flax.
Lori kleppin says
Don’t you simmer the sauce to blend it? I wished it all together but seems like bringing it to a simmer and stir often would make the sauce thicken and really blend the ingredients
Nancylynn says
Yes, the directions could be more clear- The sauce should be thickened by simmering.
Debbie Prichard says
Can you tell me if using the crockpot and the times posted, do I still brown the meatballs first?
Nancylynn says
Yes
Jaime Morgillo says
An absolute family favorite! Everyone gets so excited when I say these are for dinner! My 11 year old even says she likes these more than traditional Italian style meatballs!! Win!! Amazing as always Nancylynn!!!!!
Nancylynn says
Thank you!!!
Sue says
Love, love the flavor of this recipe! It’s a bit too salty for us though. I made it tonight for the second time and omitted all of the salt. We felt it was still very salty, any suggestions?
Jen Rabideau says
It’s your soy sauce. Or whatever you are using for soy sauce. Try a different brand.
Beth says
Do you think this could be made into a meatloaf, and if so what temperature/timeframe do you think it would require to bake?
Anna says
Will these also work with ground turkey?
Elisa says
I would love to know this too! In pantry-freezer cooking mode while we do social distancing and I have ground turkey in the freezer but not ground chicken… wondering if I can make these this week or if I should wait!
Michelle Harris says
Elisa, I would think you could use any ground meat. I need to keep up my iron levels, so I use ground beef with this recipe, but turkey would be good too. I make regular turkey meatballs quite often. So yummy! And with the sauce, you can barely tell it not beef. I have been able to slip all kinds of healthy things into my family meals 😉
Nancylynn says
I agree!! Any ground meat will work and will be delicious!
Michelle Harris says
Made these last week and they were a huge hit at my house!! Thanks so much for some great recipes to keep things fresh in my kitchen!!
Jasminder Kaur says
Made this today and it’s delicious. My sauce is a little sweet but maybe because I didn’t add the flour at the end as my sauce had thickened itself. But still it tastes yummy with your cauli rice:)
Rebecca says
Could these be frozen? If so would I cook them first? Or mix everything and freeze and cook later?
Nancylynn says
Cook first, then freeze! Make a double batch while you’re at it- they go quickly!!
Tiffany says
I just love meatballs! They’re fun to make, they’re always a hit, and they can be either a quick dinner, an easy snack, or a fun party food.
❤️❤️
Tiffany
Phlanx’s Marketing Specialist
Jeanine says
You have instructions to mix all ingredients for the sauce, except the flour, and set aside. In your IP recipe you say how to use the flour. In the over, AF, and SC method you make no mention of the flour. Do we omit the flour if not using the IP method of cooking? Thanks!
Nancylynn says
Correct! Thanks for asking, I’ll make that more clear!
Brenna says
Hi Nancylynn, I pretty much cook only off your blog. We absolutely love EVERYTHING you put out and I don’t know how we survived without it before!! I am gluten and dairy free and I love all the substitutes you add in that allow us to stay on this diet while still cooking healthy delicious meals!! Lately I have been trying to stay away from grains all together, so for this recipe do you think I could replace the bread crumbs with 1/4 cup almond flour?
Thanks!
Libds says
I wondered about almond flour but was thinking of using pork rinds in place of panko. I process in food processor until smooth as coating to fry chicken breasts. Adds a bit of flavor.
Tracy says
I have a quick question. I’m new to using the instant pot, but everything I’ve read says that there needs to be water in the pot for it to come to pressure. And a thick sauce with tomato paste in it will give a burn notice every time. How do you avoid that with these meatballs? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated as I really want these to be added to my meal rotation
Nancylynn says
Hi! You don’t need water – but you do need thin cooking liquid and the coconut aminos is very thin! Just make sure you deglaze the pot with a little water after sauteing!
Tracy says
Thank you! I’ll give it a go and let you know how they turn out.