Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Perfect as an appetizer or an easy weeknight dinner, these Firecracker Chicken Meatballs are juicy, tender and loaded with flavor. Made from a few simple ingredients your friends and family will love this recipe.
Easy to pick up and enjoy, these chicken meatballs are perfect for game day or your next gathering. Any leftovers can be enjoyed for dinner alongside your favorite rice and some freshly sliced cucumber. No matter how you serve them, you’re going to LOVE this easy recipe!
Try my Greek Chicken Meatballs, Chicken Cacciatore Meatballs, or Chicken Meatballs with Onions, Peppers, and Provolone Cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Loaded with flavor. These firecracker meatballs are loaded with flavor and easy to make.
- Perfect to share. These mini meatballs are easy to eat and perfect for sharing as an appetizer.
- Easy to reheat. Leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Enjoy over rice with pickled cucumber for a heartier meal.
About Smart Chicken
- For this recipe, I used Smart Chicken’s organic ground chicken. Smart Chicken is the reason I started eating chicken again after 9 years without. Their products are superior in every way.
- In fact, Smart Chicken’s chickens are fed a high-quality diet, humanely handled, and never given antibiotics, hormones, or animal by-products. Smart Chicken is USDA Process Verified as pure air chilled, without added water and are hand-trimmed for your convenience. The result is the best-tasting, highest-quality fresh chicken on the market!
- This post is sponsored by Smart Chicken. I was compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Chicken – You’ll need one pound of Smart Chicken’s organic ground chicken for this recipe.
- Meatball Ingredients – You’ll add panko breadcrumbs, one large egg, low sodium soy sauce, avocado oil, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes to the ground chicken. Mix well and form into meatballs. You’ll get 28-30 small meatballs for this recipe.
- Firecracker Sauce – Combine sweet chili sauce, ketchup and sriracha in a small mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
- Optional Additions – You can serve these meatballs on a platter as is, or you can serve them over rice with freshly sliced cucumber. Sprinkle them with some sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
How to Make Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Make the Sauce
Combine sweet chili sauce, ketchup and sriracha in a small mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
Make the Meatballs
In a large mixing bowl combine, ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, one large egg, low sodium soy sauce, avocado oil, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes to the ground chicken. Mix well and form into meatballs. You’ll get 28-30 small meatballs for this recipe.
Cook the Meatballs
Add 2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large non-stick pan. Place over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add about half of the meatballs to the hot pan. Turn frequently until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the pan and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Repeat this step from the remaining meatballs.
Once all the meatballs are cooked, use a paper towel to carefully remove any excess oil from the pan.
Add all the meatballs back into the pan and pour in the sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is warmed through, and the meatballs are cooked through. You’ll want the internal temperature to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve hot and enjoy.
Storage
Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can get roughly 28-30 mini meatballs.
Yes, warm the meatballs in the microwave until tender.
Other Appetizer Recipes to Consider Trying
Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl meatballs
- 1 small mixing bowl sauce
- 1 large, nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken, Smart Chicken
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for pan frying
Firecracker Sauce
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
Instructions
How to Make Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Make the Sauce
- Combine sweet chili sauce, ketchup and sriracha in a small mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
Make the Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl combine, ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, one large egg, low sodium soy sauce, avocado oil, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes to the ground chicken. Mix well and form into meatballs. You’ll get 28-30 small meatballs for this recipe.
Cook the Meatballs
- Add 2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large non-stick pan. Place over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add about half of the meatballs to the hot pan. Turn frequently until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the pan and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Repeat this step from the remaining meatballs.
- Once all the meatballs are cooked, use a paper towel to carefully remove any excess oil from the pan.
- Add all the meatballs back to the pan and pour in the sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is warmed through, and the meatballs are cooked through. You’ll want the internal temperature to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve hot and enjoy.
5 Comments on “Firecracker Chicken Meatballs”
My daughter and I made these to take to a party she had for her team and everyone gobbled them up! They reminded me of a mix between boneless wings and party meatballs… that’s a good thing!
Love that! Thanks, Carol!
We made these to have on hand as a healthy between meal snack option and they were so good! The sauce is exceptional. We will definitely be making again and again.
I just made these for dinner tonight and I had every intention of posting a picture on instagram because they turned out so well, but between how delicious they smelled and my lingering hungry husband, I forgot. But there is always next time because we will definitely be making these again! They are so good!!
Holy smokes. These meatballs are PHENOMENAL. This recipe was so easy, tasty as all get out, and will 100% be going on my regular dinner menu rotation. I used ground chicken fresh from a local farm and they crisped up so nicely in the avocado oil. Delicious!