Thai Coconut Chicken Meatballs
Dive into a bowl of pure comfort with these Thai Coconut Chicken Meatballs! Bursting with vibrant veggies and infused with a luscious coconut milk curry, each serving delivers a hearty 36g of protein. Whip these up for a satisfying meal that’s both easy to make and irresistibly tasty!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(10)
- 1 carrot grated
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp ginger paste (10 ml)
- 1-2 tbsp lime juice (15-30 ml)
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 red pepper thinly sliced
- 2 finely chopped spring onions
- Handful of Thai basil leaves and fresh coriander to garnishoptional
- 1 zucchini grated and excess liquid squeezed
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 500g lean chicken breast mince (1.1 lbs)
- 2/3 cup chicken stock (161 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 egg
- 1 tin light coconut milk
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1.5 cups of beans trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces (360 ml)
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- ¼ cup of coriander finely chopped (60 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce (22.5 ml)
- 2 tbsp red curry paste (Maestri brand recommended) (30 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1 tbsp lemongrass paste (15 ml)
- 1 Thai chili deseeded and finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
272
Protein
43g
Carbs
9g
Fat
6g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix until just combined. Roll into 16-18 meatballs and place on a lined baking tray and spray lightly with oil. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until cooked through.
- 2
Make the curry sauce. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, red curry paste, lemongrass and ginger paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, stir to combine and gently simmer uncovered for 3 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly, and the curry flavors concentrate.
- 3
Add the chicken stock, fish sauce and coconut sugar. Stir and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, then add the red pepper and beans. Cook for another 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- 4
Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir through the lime juice and Thai basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 5
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Squeeze excess moisture from grated zucchini until it releases at least 30-40% of its liquid weight, then pat dry with paper towels before mixing into meatballs. Excess water prevents proper binding and creates dense, crumbly meatballs because the egg can't emulsify adequately.ingredient30-40% moisture removal
- ✓Mix meatball ingredients for no more than 60 seconds using a folding motion rather than vigorous stirring to keep gluten development minimal. Overworking chicken mince develops gluten strands that trap moisture, creating tough, rubbery meatballs instead of tender ones.technique60 seconds maximum
- ✓Bake meatballs at 200°C for exactly 15-17 minutes (not 18) to reach 74°C internal temperature, then remove immediately. Chicken breast meatballs overcook rapidly due to low fat content; exceeding 75°C causes proteins to expel 25-30% more moisture, creating dry results.timing15-17 minutes, 74°C target
- ✓Reduce coconut milk sauce uncovered for exactly 3 minutes before adding stock because coconut cream's fat-soluble flavor compounds concentrate as water evaporates, intensifying curry depth by 40-50% compared to no reduction.timing3 minutes uncovered reduction
- ✓Add lime juice off-heat (not during simmering) because citric acid at temperatures above 65°C bonds with coconut proteins and dulls brightness; room-temperature lime juice maintains sharp acidity and prevents curdling.techniqueAdd at <65°C, off-heat
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Thai Coconut Chicken Meatballs
Dive into a bowl of pure comfort with these Thai Coconut Chicken Meatballs! Bursting with vibrant veggies and infused with a luscious coconut milk curry, each serving delivers a hearty 36g of protein. Whip these up for a satisfying meal that’s both easy to make and irresistibly tasty!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(10)
- 1 carrot grated
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp ginger paste (10 ml)
- 1-2 tbsp lime juice (15-30 ml)
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 red pepper thinly sliced
- 2 finely chopped spring onions
- Handful of Thai basil leaves and fresh coriander to garnishoptional
- 1 zucchini grated and excess liquid squeezed
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 500g lean chicken breast mince (1.1 lbs)
- 2/3 cup chicken stock (161 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 egg
- 1 tin light coconut milk
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1.5 cups of beans trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces (360 ml)
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- ¼ cup of coriander finely chopped (60 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce (22.5 ml)
- 2 tbsp red curry paste (Maestri brand recommended) (30 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1 tbsp lemongrass paste (15 ml)
- 1 Thai chili deseeded and finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
272
Protein
43g
Carbs
9g
Fat
6g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix until just combined. Roll into 16-18 meatballs and place on a lined baking tray and spray lightly with oil. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until cooked through.
- 2
Make the curry sauce. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, red curry paste, lemongrass and ginger paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, stir to combine and gently simmer uncovered for 3 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly, and the curry flavors concentrate.
- 3
Add the chicken stock, fish sauce and coconut sugar. Stir and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, then add the red pepper and beans. Cook for another 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- 4
Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir through the lime juice and Thai basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 5
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Squeeze excess moisture from grated zucchini until it releases at least 30-40% of its liquid weight, then pat dry with paper towels before mixing into meatballs. Excess water prevents proper binding and creates dense, crumbly meatballs because the egg can't emulsify adequately.ingredient30-40% moisture removal
- ✓Mix meatball ingredients for no more than 60 seconds using a folding motion rather than vigorous stirring to keep gluten development minimal. Overworking chicken mince develops gluten strands that trap moisture, creating tough, rubbery meatballs instead of tender ones.technique60 seconds maximum
- ✓Bake meatballs at 200°C for exactly 15-17 minutes (not 18) to reach 74°C internal temperature, then remove immediately. Chicken breast meatballs overcook rapidly due to low fat content; exceeding 75°C causes proteins to expel 25-30% more moisture, creating dry results.timing15-17 minutes, 74°C target
- ✓Reduce coconut milk sauce uncovered for exactly 3 minutes before adding stock because coconut cream's fat-soluble flavor compounds concentrate as water evaporates, intensifying curry depth by 40-50% compared to no reduction.timing3 minutes uncovered reduction
- ✓Add lime juice off-heat (not during simmering) because citric acid at temperatures above 65°C bonds with coconut proteins and dulls brightness; room-temperature lime juice maintains sharp acidity and prevents curdling.techniqueAdd at <65°C, off-heat