Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce – a saucy and sassy meatball recipe you’ll serve again and again. Every bite is packed with flavor making them the perfect choice for game day, holidays or a Friday night.
For more meatball recipes, be sure to check out these Mini Turkey Meatballs, Chimichurri Meatballs this cocktail meatball recipe and these slow cooker cocktail meatballs.
Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce Recipe
These chipotle meatballs are a huge crowd pleasing recipe.
The sweetness of the honey tames the spicy chipotle, making these meatballs the perfect match for varying taste buds. Using ground chicken also gives you a break on calories, but you can use any type of ground meat you choose.
These tasty meatballs are great for game day, but they fit into any occasion where tasty food is a requirement.
Ingredients for Chipotle Meatballs
Pantry Ingredients
- Plain, dry bread crumbs – (not Panko) and without any seasoning
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – these are found in the Hispanic section of the supermarket
- table salt
- vegetable oil – can also use canola oil
- honey – clover honey works well
- chicken broth
- tomato paste
- Dijon mustard – do not use regular yellow mustard
Fresh Ingredients
- ground chicken – use can use any type of ground meat you prefer, but chicken goes really well with the sauce
- fresh eggs – size large
- fresh cilantro – you can use parsley if you prefer
- lime juice – fresh only
- garlic
How To Make Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce
Step one: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Step two: Combine ground chicken, eggs, bread crumbs, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, 1 Tablespoon of adobo sauce and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Step three: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and form chicken mixture into 48 meatballs. Place the meatballs on the baking sheets and cover with plastic wrap; chill 1 hour. While the meatballs are chilling, make the sauce.
Step four: In a food processor or blender combine honey, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, lime juice, Dijon mustard and salt. Process until smooth. Set aside.
Step five: Remove meatballs from the refrigerator and lightly brush with vegetable oil. Bake both trays in the oven for 12 minutes.
Step six: Remove the trays from the oven and place meatballs in a baking dish. Add Chipotle-Honey Sauce and brush the meatballs until they are coated.
Step seven: Bake another 12-15 minutes until meatballs are heated through and glazed with sauce.
What If These Meatballs Are Too Spicy For Me?
Make sure your tasting the sauce while making it.
If the sauce is too spicy, increase the amount of honey or initially decrease the amount of chiles in the recipe. Fell free to add or subtract at any point.
Can I Make These Ahead Of Time?
You can.
Make sure you have let them completely cool. Place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
You can reheat these meatballs in a saucepan on the stove or place them in a slow cooker on warm.
Can I Make A Double Batch?
Yes you can, however, you will need to back the second batch separately from the first.
Other Hot Appetizers You Might Enjoy
- Last Minute Chili Dip
- Sour Cream Bacon Ranch Ring Dip
- The Best Slow Cooker Dips
- Chorizo Con Queso Dip
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Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 2 lbs. ground chicken
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup plain, dry bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 2 tbsps fresh lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (4 oz) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, divided
- 1 tsp table salt
Chipotle-Honey Sauce:
- 3/4 cup honey
- 2-3 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (leftover from the meatballs)
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsps Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp table salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine ground chicken, eggs, bread crumbs, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, 1 Tablespoon of adobo sauce and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and form chicken mixture into 48 meatballs. Place the meatballs on the baking sheets and cover with plastic wrap; chill 1 hour. While the meatballs are chilling, make the sauce.
- In a food processor or blender combine honey, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, lime juice, Dijon mustard and salt. Process until smooth. Set aside.
- Remove meatballs from the refrigerator and lightly brush with vegetable oil. Bake both trays in the oven for 12 minutes.
- Remove the trays from the oven and place meatballs in a baking dish. Add Chipotle-Honey Sauce and brush the meatballs until they are coated.
- Bake another 12-15 minutes until meatballs are heated through and glazed with sauce.
