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spicy chicken meatballs | firecracker meatballs
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Spicy Chicken Meatballs | Firecracker Meatballs

Spicy Chicken Meatballs aka Firecracker meatballs recipe with step-by-step instructions. These spicy and sweet twice-baked chicken meatballs are super easy to make and tastes delicious as an appetizer or in a meal!
Course Appetizer, Dinners
Cuisine All
Keyword chicken, ground chicken, Meatballs, spicy, sweet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 52kcal
Author Niveditha

Ingredients

For the Chicken Meatballs:

  • 1 lb Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast , ground
  • 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Powder , or garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • 1 tsp Paprika Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 medium Egg , beaten
  • 3/4 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese , mild
  • 2 tbsp Green Onions , chopped

For the Spicy sauce:

  • 1/4 cup Sriracha Sauce
  • 1/8 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Chilli Flakes

Instructions

  • Mix together the ground chicken, onion powder, ginger garlic powder, black pepper powder, paprika powder and salt.
  • Then add the beaten egg and mix it thoroughly. Followed by that, add the breadcrumbs and mix it through.
  • Next add the cheddar cheese and the green onions and mix it one last time.
  • Divide and form 25-30 meatballs out of it. Place them in an airtight container and chill it for an hour minimum.
  • Preheat the oven at 200 c / 400 F for 20 minutes. Arrange the meatballs on a baking tray brushed with oil. Brush the meatballs with some oil as well. Bake them for 20 minutes.
  • While the chicken meatballs are baking, lets make the sauce. Place a cast iron skillet on heat and add the sriracha sauce, brown sugar and salt. Mix it and simmer it until it begins to thicken.
  • Add the chilli flakes and simmer for a few more minutes. Remove the pan from heat and leave the sauce in the pan to keep it warm.
  • Once the oven timer goes off, remove the baking tray from the oven and generously brush the prepared sauce on all of the meatballs; both over and on the sides.
  • Place the tray back inside the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the meatballs once more with the remaining sauce if you prefer or serve it hot with the sauce on the side!

Notes

  • This recipe makes 25 - 30 meatballs; the nutrition details are calculated for 25 meatballs.
  • Chicken: You can use only chicken thighs or only breast or a mix of chicken meat.
  • Meat: You can follow the same steps and make this with lamb or pork.
  • Ginger garlic powder: This powder adds a nice flavor to the meatballs. If you don't have it, you can use just garlic powder in its place. Or if you have some ginger garlic paste, you can 2 tsp of that instead.
  • Breadcrumbs: You may need up to 1 cup of breadcrumbs. This depends on the type of meat you're using and the type of breadcrumbs. But try not to add any more than that.
  • Cheese: I like to use mild cheddar cheese for these meatballs. Adds a great flavor and love them melting out of the meatballs as they bake. You can skip or substitute this with sharp cheddar or mozzarella or parmesan cheese.
  • Mixing: You can either use a spatula (which is not very easy) or use your hands (which may burn your skin and is a bit messy) to mix the ingredients with the chicken meat. The easiest way to get it thoroughly mixed is to use a stand mixer.
  • Sriracha Sauce: If you want it spicier, use 1/2 of sriracha. If you want it really REALLY hot, you can up the sriracha sauce to 3/4 cup or more (unfamiliar zone for me, lol). 
  • Sweetness: If you want the sweetness to stand out more than the hotness, you can use 1/4 cup of brown sugar. I find it way too sweet when I use that but I still do use that much sometimes like when I am entertaining.
  • Storing: If you wish to store it for later, mix the meatballs with the spices and when you put it in the refrigerator for chilling, you can store it in the freezer instead; stays good for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator the day before you want to cook it.
  • Sauce: The sauce tends to thicken up as it cools down so stop simmering when it begins to thicken. This recipe will give you sauce enough to brush over the meatballs about two teaspoons of sauce. Mix some sriracha with it to serve. If you want more of it for dipping double the sauce ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.6g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 2.8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Cholesterol: 19.7mg | Sodium: 122.6mg | Potassium: 31.9mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1.2g