Tender baked meatballs are tossed in a sticky-sweet and savory sauce to make these gluten free Asian chicken meatballs. Ready in 30 minutes, so get your chopsticks ready! Serve over rice or zoodles for an easy weeknight dinner.

Asian Chicken Meatballs served over zoodles, brown rice, and steamed broccoli.

Table of Contents

Delicious Details

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven, Stovetop
Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Skill Level: Easy

These Asian chicken meatballs are sticky-sweet and savory with just a hint of heat. They’re not an exact copycat of any specific Asian dish but rather incorporate Asian flavors throughout, similar to my Asian grilled chicken and Asian beef lettuce wraps. I actually used to call them General Tso’s chicken meatballs, but the sauce isn’t really a General Tso’s sauce. So now we just call them the “Best Ever Asian Chicken Meatballs”, ha.

To make these meatballs gluten free, I made swaps for the breadcrumbs and soy sauce. Everything else was already gluten free (though always check your labels!). They can also easily be made grain free. It’s always a win when there are only a few easy swaps to make, and I can confirm everyone loves these, gluten free or not.

Why We Love These Asian Chicken Meatballs

Quick & easy. It takes just over 30 minutes to get these chicken meatballs on the table. The sauce can be prepared on the stovetop while the meatballs bake, and the steps really consist of combining the meatball ingredients, baking the meatballs, and simmering the sauce ingredients. So easy!
The sauce! The sweet and savory sauce is really what makes these Asian chicken meatballs stand out. It’s made with ingredients like rice vinegar, soy sauce (or tamari), peanut butter, honey, and sriracha to give it a unique tangy-sweet-nutty-savory-spicy flavor.
Great for meal prep. If you’re the type of person who likes to make extra to freeze for later, you’re gonna love this recipe. The meatballs store well in the fridge for a couple of days, which is great for lunch prep, and they also freeze well. You can freeze them with or without the sauce, too.

Recipe Ingredients

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this Asian chicken meatball recipe, plus some recipe notes and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.

For the Meatballs

Ground chicken breast – Any lean ground chicken works. Ground turkey breast could also be used.
Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs act as a binding agent that ensures the meatballs stay intact when baking! If you’re making this recipe gluten free and don’t have gluten free breadcrumbs, you can substitute cornmeal, almond meal, or ground oats in place of crumbs.
Egg
Ginger & garlic – I like to use grated fresh ginger and minced or crushed parsley. Ginger & garlic powder could be used in a pinch but doesn’t add the same robust flavor.
Spices – Red pepper flakes & salt.

For the Sauce

Chicken Broth – Vegetable broth will also work.
Rice Vinegar – Make sure to use plain rice vinegar and not the seasoned kind!
Soy Sauce – Check the label to make sure the soy sauce is gluten free (if needed) or use tamari for an easy gluten free option. Coconut aminos also work as a paleo option.
Honey
Cornstarch – Used to thicken the sauce. Tapioca starch also works great.
Peanut butter – Adds a nutty twist to the sauce. Almond butter also works great.
Sesame oil – Adds a sweet nuttiness common in Asian cuisine. I don’t recommend skipping or substituting it.
Sriracha – Adds a kick of heat to the sauce. Feel free to use any hot chili sauce you enjoy.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make gluten free Asian chicken meatballs

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make the Asian sauce for chicken meatballs

🍴 In the Cupcakes & Kale Chips Kitchen…

Sheet Pans – sure, I used them for cookies, but I also use them for roasting vegetables and baking meatballs.
Deep Skillet – I like this pan because there’s plenty of room for the sauce and it actually cleans up easily.

How to Make Asian Chicken Meatballs

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the meatballs can be on the table and ready to enjoy in just over 30 minutes. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine the ingredients. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to gently combine until well mixed.
Shape & bake. Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

The chicken meatball mixture being blended in a mixing bowl.

Rolled chicken meatballs laid out on a baking sheet.

Make the sauce. Whisk all sauce ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Simmer for several minutes until thickened.
Combine. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Cook until heated through.
Enjoy. Serve the meatballs and sauce over rice or zucchini noodles as desired.

A whisk is used to combine the sauce ingredients.

Baked chicken meatballs are added into the pot with the prepared sauce.

Tips for The Best Meatballs

These Asian chicken meatballs are super easy to make, so I only have a couple of tips for the process.

Use lean chicken. To ensure your meat has some moisture, opt for ground chicken breast that is 93-95% lean (avoid higher percentages that will dry out easily). You can also use ground turkey with equally delicious success.
Oil your hands. If you find the meat is sticking to your hands while rolling the meatballs, lightly oiling your hands with cooking oil or the like can give you smoother results.
Don’t overbake. For moist meatballs, it’s important not to overbake them. Since they’re on the small side, they’re ready in just 15-18 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to double-check if you’re not sure that they’re ready.
Simmer the sauce. Keep the sauce at a gentle boil or simmer for the entire process. If you notice it boiling a bit more, reduce the heat. Overheating it can actually cause the cornstarch to break down instead of thickening the sauce.
Adjust the heat level. The sauce for these meatballs does have a bit of a kick to it but it’s not super spicy. However, you can skip the sriracha and red pepper flakes completely for a mild version or add more for a spicy version.

Storing & Reheating

Storage: Store leftover Asian chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge, with or without the sauce. They’ll keep for about 3-4 days.
Reheat: You can reheat plain meatballs on a baking sheet covered in foil to prevent drying. Warm them in the oven at 300°F until heated through. Meatballs with sauce should be reheated in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezer: Allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely, then store them airtight in a freezer-safe container or sealable bag. Squeeze out the excess air and freeze flat for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge & reheat as directed above.

Chopsticks are used to pick up an Asian chicken meatball

Make It A Meal

There are so many easy ways to turn these gluten free Asian chicken meatballs into a meal (though they also work great as an appetizer). Here are a few options.

Rice: For a quick, easy meal, serve these meatballs over your preferred rice. We love brown rice, but jasmine rice also works great. For a more veggie-forward option, try cauliflower rice.
Zoodles: For a gluten free and grain free option, serve these meatballs with an extra helping of sauce over sauteed zoodles, or easy Sesame Zucchini Noodles.
With veggies: I also like to add a veggie on the side, like steamed or roasted broccoli. This crunchy Asian Carrot Cucumber Salad is also a top choice!