Chicken Curry meatballs

Courtesy of Whole kitchen Sink

I have become a huge fan of ground chicken the past few years as it is such a versatile meat option that allows you to use in a multitude of ways. Ground chicken meatballs are one of my favorite things to make nowadays but you have to be careful in not drying them out as chicken is a lean protein and can easily lose its flavor. You only need a pound of meat unless looking to make a serving greater than 4. I also love to use ginger paste instead of fresh minced ginger to save time. If using ginger paste, a general rule of thumb is 1 inch of ginger equals 1 tablespoon of ginger paste. If using dried ginger, use ¼ teaspoon ginger powder for every 1 teaspoon ginger paste. I also opted for AP flour over arrowroot. Lastly, I skipped the peanut butter and decided to use red curry paste (approximately 2 tbsp) as we prefer more of a Thai heat versus creamy peanut butter.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

2-pounds ground chicken (or 1-pound ground chicken, 1-pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon arrowroot flour (or gluten-free 1:1 flour)

1/3 cup finely chopped basil, plus more for garnish

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

1/3 cup finely diced green onions, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce:

½ cup finely diced yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2 (14 ounce) cans coconut cream (can sub for canned coconut milk)

2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or soy sauce)

2 tablespoons smooth almond butter

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Optional: chopped basil, chopped cilantro, red pepper chili flakes to garnish

Directions:

Step 1: Add the meatball ingredients, except for the olive oil, into a large bowl and use your hands to combine until everything is incorporated with the ground chicken. Do not overmix as this can dry out the meatballs

Step 2: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Portion the meat using a cookie scoop and roll into 1-1/2 inch meatballs. Gently place each meatball into the skillet

Step 3: Continue doing this until the skillet is full but not overcrowded. Starting from the first meatball you placed into the skillet, flip each one over to brown the other side

Step 4: Brown each side for about 3 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Do not cook all the way through. Once the meatballs have been browned, transfer to a plate

Step 5: Repeat step 2-4 in batches until all of the ground meat mixture has been formed into meatballs and browned

Step 6: Then in the same skillet, drain off most of the oil, leaving 1 to 2 tablespoons remaining in the pan

Step 7: Add in the diced onions and minced garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add in the curry paste, coconut cream, coconut aminos, almond butter, lime juice and salt

Step 8: Whisk until all of the sauce ingredients are combined and smooth while bringing the sauce to a boil. Once the sauce is fully combined and boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Add the meatballs into the sauce, cover the skillet with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked

Step 9: Remove the lid and remove the skillet from the heat. Spoon the sauce over the top of the meatballs in the skillet and add any basil or salt to the sauce if desired

Step 10: Serve over white rice, cauliflower rice, with roasted broccoli and garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped basil and/or red pepper flakes