These Korean-inspired glazed chicken meatballs are the perfect weeknight meal solution, packed with a delicious balance of sweet, savory and spice. These juicy, homemade chicken meatballs come together in the air fryer in under 30 minutes, and are sauced up in a gochujang, brown sugar glaze. Whether you are serving these as minis for an appetizer, or full-size in a bowl, they are highly delicious!
These meatballs go perfectly with the easiest, foolproof jasmine rice and crisp dressed cucumbers for a quick and easy Korean-inspired dinner. If you love easy bowl-inspired meals, my Korean ground chicken bowls and Vietnamese bun thit nuong vermicelli bowls, will be a definite hit!
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👩🏽🍳Why This Recipe Works
Quick cooking: With a few easy tips and tricks, these meatballs come together amazingly quick. You do not need to spend time shaping and portioning the meatballs out, which makes this a doable meal during the week.
Delicious, balanced sauce: The gochujang glaze is perfectly balanced and full of flavor. There is the right amount of sweet, sour, and spice to make this sauce sing!
Great make-ahead meal: All of the components of this recipe work well when made-ahead. If you are into meal prep at the start of the week, this recipe will work well for you.
🥘Ingredients
- Ground chicken: Ground chicken that comes pre-packaged in the grocery store tends to be a mixture of white and dark meat. This helps to ensure that these meatballs end up being moist and juicy, without having to add any extra fat to the mixture. Ground chicken is also a blank slate, and will take on any flavors you pair with it.
- Gochujang: Gochujang is a Korean pepper paste with a mix of sweet and spicy. Made with Korean pepper flakes, fermented rice and soybeans, it is a common ingredient in Korean cooking. Do not be alarmed - it is not overwhelmingly spicy.
- Rice wine vinegar: Rice wine vinegar is typically used in Asian cooking to add a balance of acidity to sauces. Rice wine vinegar is a balance of both sweet and sour, which is what makes it different from regular white vinegar.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
📖Substitutions
- Ground chicken: You can use ground turkey, pork or beef in place of ground chicken. If using beef or pork, I recommend using a leaner variety to mimic the texture and fat content of chicken.
- Gochujang: You can substitute sriracha for gochujang if you find it easier to source. Keep in mind that sriracha has more acidity to it than gochujang, so the flavors will be slightly different.
- Brown sugar: Honey will work in place of brown sugar.
- Ginger powder: Fresh ginger will work perfectly in place of dried ginger powder.
🔪Variations
- Deep fried: Instead of air frying these meatballs, you can deep fry them for even more decadence.
- Deconstructed: Instead of making meatballs, the sauce ingredients will work for ground chicken bowls, too.
- Shortcut: Feel free to use pre-made frozen meatballs in place of homemade meatballs.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Chop the vegetables - Finely chop the green onions, and mince the garlic using a garlic press or a sharp knife.
Add the green onion, ginger, garlic, egg, sesame oil and salt to a bowl with the ground chicken and panko breadcrumbs. Mix the chicken together just until the seasoning mixture is combined.
Using a 1 ½ tablespoon portion out the meatballs, and scoop out into an air fryer basket. Spray with oil spray, and air fry for 20 minutes at 390°F until the meatballs are golden brown and firm. [photos 1 & 2]
While the meatballs are cooking, add the glaze ingredients to a shallow skillet. Allow the glaze to come to a slow simmer and to thicken up for 5 minutes. [photo 3]
Transfer the cooked meatballs to the thickened glaze in the skillet, and coat them completely. Cook through for 2-5 minutes, and serve. [photo 4]
Serve the meatballs with steamed jasmine rice and cooked edamame for a pop of color!
💭 Expert Tips
Do not overwork the meatballs: The more you mix the meatball mixture, the less moist and tender they become. Mix the meat only as much you need to, for the juiciest and softest meatballs.
Taste the meat for seasoning: If you want to taste the meatballs for seasoning before portioning them out, take a small amount and microwave it or sear in a skillet before committing to all the meatballs.
Adjust the thickness of the glaze: If your glaze is looking too thick, add some chicken broth to thin it out.
🍽 Make Ahead & Storage
- The meatballs can be cooked and stored in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days in advance.
- The raw meatball mixture can also kept for 1-2 days in the fridge, as long as it is stored in a sealed container.
- Cooked meatballs can be frozen for 3-4 months in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- Reheat cooked meatballs in the air fryer or in the oven.
⭐ Recipe FAQs
Chicken meatballs can be dry if you over-mix the ground chicken, or overcook them. I recommend only mixing the chicken mixture until everything is combined, and not more than that.
The best way to thin out an overly thick glaze is with chicken broth. If you do not have chicken broth on hand, thin out the glaze with some water.
📝More Chicken Recipes
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Korean Glazed Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb Ground chicken
- 1 stalk Green onions
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Ginger powder
- 2 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1 Egg
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
For the Glaze
- ⅓ cup Gochujang
- ¼ cup Soy sauce
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar
For Topping
- 1 stalk Green onions chopped
- 2 teaspoon Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the green onion, ginger, garlic, egg, sesame oil and salt to a bowl with the ground chicken and panko breadcrumbs. Mix the chicken together just until the seasoning mixture is combined.1 lb Ground chicken , 1 stalk Green onions, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 tablespoon Ginger powder , 2 teaspoon Sea salt , 1 Egg, 1 teaspoon Sesame oil , ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- Using a 1 ½ tablespoon portion out the meatballs, and scoop out into an air fryer basket. Spray with oil spray, and air fry for 20 minutes at 390°F until the meatballs are golden brown and firm.
- While the meatballs are cooking, add the glaze ingredients to a shallow skillet. Allow the glaze to come to a slow simmer and to thicken up for 5 minutes.⅓ cup Gochujang , ¼ cup Soy sauce , ⅓ cup Brown sugar, ¼ cup Water , 1 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar
- Transfer the cooked meatballs to the thickened glaze in the skillet, and coat them completely. Cook through for 2-5 minutes, and serve.2 teaspoon Sesame seeds, 1 stalk Green onions
Notes
- Do not overwork the meatballs: The more you mix the meatball mixture, the less moist and tender they become. Mix the meat only as much you need to, for the juiciest and softest meatballs.
- Taste the meat for seasoning: If you want to taste the meatballs for seasoning before portioning them out, take a small amount and microwave it or sear in a skillet before committing to all the meatballs.
- Adjust the thickness of the glaze: If your glaze is looking too thick, add some chicken broth to thin it out.
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