Sweet, salty and sometimes bitter are the flavors of Thai food that highlight chicken, beef, pork or tofu in soup, vegetables, stews and these Thai Chicken Meatballs. Herbs like lemongrass – light yellow herbaceous stalks – add citrus notes, along with Kaffir lime leaves, to many Thai dishes. These unique Asian flavors accentuate basic ground meat, especially poultry into memorable meals.
If you love Thai food and want to ease your way into making this cuisine at home, these meatballs are quite a delight. Ground chicken is mixed with spices and formed into balls, then cooked on the stove top in an easy pan sauce and served piping hot over a bowl of steamy rice.
I think these meatballs make a great dinnertime meal, but you can prepare them as an appetizer for a party or game night too. These fragrant meatballs are deliciously quick and can be made ahead and reheated right before serving, or frozen for a couple of months.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
2 stalks lemongrass
1/2 cup cilantro, divided
1 clove garlic
2 scallions
1 Thai or Serrano chili, seeds removed
1 lime
1/3 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/3 cup chicken broth
salt & pepper
vegetable oil
cooked brown rice, optional
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
1. Remove outer layers off stalk of lemongrass. Slice tender ends and mince finely. Mince cilantro, garlic, scallions and chili. Zest lime and set aside.
2. Remove chicken from packaging and place in a bowl with lemongrass, half of cilantro, scallions, garlic, chili and lime zest. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix gently with hands until combined.
3. In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and place over medium high heat. Roll meat into balls and place in pan to brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove meatballs and place on a plate.
4. In a measuring cup, mix together soy sauce, broth and juice of lime, pour into pan. Increase heat to high for 3 minutes and let sauce reduce slightly. Add meatballs back into pan and toss with sauce. Continue to cook for 4 minutes or until cooked through. Ladle meatballs and sauce over brown rice and top with other half of cilantro. Enjoy!
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