Sweet and Spicy Sesame Chicken Meatball Bowls Recipe
These Sweet and Spicy Sesame Chicken Meatball Bowls are a flavorful and satisfying meal featuring juicy, ginger-infused chicken meatballs cooked to perfection in a skillet, tossed with tender charred broccoli, and coated in a sticky, spicy ginger sesame sauce. Served over coconut or brown rice and topped with fresh scallions, cilantro, and crunchy roasted peanuts, this dish offers a perfect balance of sweet, heat, and nutty flavors for a wholesome, restaurant-quality dinner you can make on your stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet and Spicy Ginger Sesame Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon red chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
Meatballs
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 pound lean ground chicken (or substitute ground turkey)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko or gluten free breadcrumbs
- 2 green onions, finely diced (about ¼ cup)
- ½ cup finely diced cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Broccoli
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3–4 cups broccoli florets
For Serving
- Coconut rice or brown rice
- Scallions, sliced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, sesame oil, sesame seeds, red chili paste, fresh grated ginger, minced garlic, brown sugar, and arrowroot starch (or cornstarch) until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare the Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, panko breadcrumbs, diced green onions, cilantro, minced garlic, grated ginger, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Use clean hands to mix thoroughly and form into 16 golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Cook the Meatballs: Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add the meatballs in batches without overcrowding, browning on all sides until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached, about 10-12 minutes total. Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate and set aside. Keep the skillet on heat.
- Cook the Broccoli: Wipe the skillet clean and add 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add broccoli florets and cook, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes until broccoli is slightly tender but still has some bite, and develops charred, golden, and crispy spots.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Return the cooked meatballs to the skillet with the broccoli, pour the prepared sauce over, then reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 2-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the meatballs and broccoli evenly.
- Serve: Spoon the meatballs, broccoli, and sauce over your choice of coconut rice or brown rice. Garnish with sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and roasted peanuts for added freshness and crunch. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for chicken if preferred.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Adjust the amount of red chili paste or cayenne pepper to control the spice level.
- Arrowroot starch can be substituted with cornstarch for thickening the sauce.
- For a nut-free version, omit the chopped roasted peanuts as a topping.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently on stovetop.
Keywords: sesame chicken meatballs, spicy chicken meatballs, ginger sesame sauce, stovetop chicken meatballs, broccoli meatball bowls, sesame broccoli, Asian chicken bowl
