Firecracker chicken meatballs. Tender meatballs coated in a sticky sweet and spicy sauce make for an exciting weeknight dinner. Super delicious, full of flavor and easy to make. Plus, ready in just 30 minutes. Serve with steamed rice and a crunchy cucumber salad for a dinner that will rock your world.
As any really good firecracker chicken recipe should be, this one is all about the vibrant, sticky sauce. It’s a weeknight dinner that combines chicken meatballs with a bright, glossy sauce that’s sweet, tangy and a little bit spicy. It’s packed with just enough heat to tickle your tongue, but never intensifies or overwhelms.
And the meatballs? They’re pan-seared, juicy, tender and loaded with lots of delicious spices.
After searing the meatballs, we quickly make the firecracker sauce, add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer everything together. The sauce blends with the meatballs and as they cook, the flavor soaks through and works its way into the center. Immensely delicious when spooned over some steamed rice.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
RECIPE NOTES
- this is a pleasantly spicy dish, but if you’re heat adverse, you’d like to use less sriracha to turn down the heat, and you can also omit the red pepper flakes at the end
- serve this firecracker chicken meatballs over steamed rice, rice noodles or chow mein noodles… actually, you can eat them with almost everything! Think sandwiches, tortillas, tacos, fries, lettuce wraps, ramen, or as a starter. Let your mind go wild with possibilities!
- don’t forget to add a big crunchy cucumber salad to balance the heat
- we mix the meatballs with our hands, but be sure you don’t over mix. The shorter you mix and form the balls, the lighter they will be. If you overwork the meatballs, they’ll get tough. Also, pan frying these balls keeps them super tender
- this dish can be made ahead, both the sauce and the meatballs themselves can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- to freeze the meatballs: transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, until thawed, add water if needed to thin the sauce
Try These Next
- Coconut Gochujang Chicken Meatballs
- Easy Peanut Butter Chicken
- Honey Garlic Butter Chicken
- 20 Minute Cashew Shrimp with Sticky Garlic Soy Sauce
Cooking Video
This post contains affiliate links which means a portion of the proceeds go to me, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Serving Dumplings.
Calories Per Serving: 435 kcalFirecracker Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
Firecracker sauce
Instructions
Add the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl. Mix until just combined, using your hands. Roll the meat mixture into 2-tablespoon sized balls. Will make about 25 meatballs.Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE RECIPE PDF
This looks amazing! Do you have a suggestion for a cucumber salad recipe you like to go with?
Thank you!
Hi Chelsea, you can use this cucumber salad . Enjoy the recipe!
Can you leave out fish and oyster saice
hi Sara, you can leave them out and replace by adding 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, if you don’t have it on hand, simply add 1 tbsp extra of the soy sauce. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy the recipe!