Pineapple Chicken Turkey Meatballs (Printable)
Tender meatballs in sweet tangy pineapple sauce. Perfect as appetizer or over rice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground chicken or turkey
02 - 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
07 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Pineapple Sauce
10 - 1 cup pineapple juice
11 - 1/2 cup water
12 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
13 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
14 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
15 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
16 - 1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained
17 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
18 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
19 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken or turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Mix just until combined.
03 - Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly golden.
05 - While the meatballs bake, whisk together pineapple juice, water, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch until smooth.
06 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil. Sauté red bell pepper for 2 minutes. Add pineapple chunks and cook another 2 minutes.
07 - Pour the pineapple sauce mixture into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
08 - Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat through. Serve hot, garnished with extra green onion or sesame seeds if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce strikes that perfect balance between sweet and tangy that makes you want to lick your plate
- They come out juicy every single time, not dry like some chicken meatballs can be
02 -
- Overmixing the meat mixture makes tough meatballs so mix gently until just combined
- Let the sauce simmer for the full 3 to 4 minutes or it will never thicken properly
03 -
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for cleanup that takes seconds
- A splash of toasted sesame oil at the end makes everything taste restaurant quality