Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce – a saucy and sassy chicken 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.
These chipotle chicken meatballs are a crowd pleasing recipe. The sweetness of the honey tames the spicy chipotle, making these honey chipotle 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 sweet and spicy meatballs are great for game day, but they fit into any occasion where tasty finger food is a requirement.
Why You’ll Love This Ground Chicken Recipe
- It’s a versatile and crowd-pleasing meatball recipe.
- The combo of sweet honey and spicy chipotle creates a delicious balance of flavors.
- Using ground chicken makes it a lighter option.
Ingredients and Substitutions for Chipotle Meatballs
- Plain, dry bread crumbs: (not Panko) and without any seasoning. You could make your own, just make sure they are finely ground.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: These are found in the Hispanic section of the supermarket and are used to flavor the meatballs and the sauce.
- Table salt: Flavor enhancement.
- Vegetable oil: Can also use canola oil or any flavorless oil you have.
- Honey: Clover honey works well. You could also use hot honey for even more flavor.
- Chicken broth: I recommend using a low-sodium version.
- Tomato paste: Adds concentrated flavor.
- Dijon mustard: Do not use regular yellow mustard.
- Ground chicken: Use any type of ground meat you prefer, but chicken goes really well with the sauce and keeps it light.
- Eggs: Used as a binder.
- Fresh cilantro: You can use parsley if you prefer.
- Lime juice: Fresh only for the best flavor.
- Garlic: For more flavor.
How To Make Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce
- Step one: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Step two: Mix ground chicken with eggs, bread crumbs, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Step three: Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape the chicken mixture into 48 meatballs and arrange them on the baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Step four: In a food processor or blender, blend honey, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, lime juice, Dijon mustard, and salt until smooth.
- Step five: Take the meatballs from the fridge and lightly brush them with vegetable oil. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes on both trays.
- Step six: Take the trays out of the oven and transfer meatballs to a baking dish. Coat the meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce by brushing them with oil.
- Step seven: Bake until meatballs are heated through.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure to form the meatballs into a consistent size for even cooking.
- Letting the meatballs chill for an hour helps them hold their shape and enhances flavors.
- Brushing the meatballs with vegetable oil before baking is what adds the golden and crispy texture.
- Consider serving extra Chipotle-Honey Sauce on the side for dipping.
- These meatballs can be turned into a main dish by serving with rice and a veggie in a bowl.
- The chipotle meatballs also make great sub sandwiches, just add cheese and tuck in between bread.
What If These Honey Chipotle Meatballs Are Too Spicy For Me?
If the sauce is too spicy, increase the amount of honey or initially decrease the amount of chiles.
Make sure your tasting the sauce while making it. Feel free to add or subtract any ingredients at any point, making sure not to add any of the seeds from the chipotle peppers.
Can I Make These Ground Chicken Meatballs Ahead Of Time?
Yes, these chicken meatballs can easily be made ahead of time.
Make sure you have let the meatballs completely cool. Place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Reheat these meatballs in a saucepan, on the stove, or place them in a slow cooker on warm.
Can I Make A Double Batch of Chipotle Meatballs?
I have found making a second batch is best if made completely separately.
A second batch is not impossible to do together, but you have to be really careful to not overwork the meat when working in that volume. I’ve had better results just starting over.
More Meatball Recipes
- Hawaiian Meatballs
- Mini Turkey Meatballs
- Chicken Piccata Meatballs
- Cocktail Meatball Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
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Chicken Meatballs with Chipotle-Honey Sauce
Equipment
- food processor or blender
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
- vegetable oil
Chipotle-Honey Sauce:
- 3/4 cup clover 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.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, 1 tsp table salt
- 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.3/4 cup clover honey, 2-3 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1/3 cup chicken broth, 1/3 cup tomato paste, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 tsps Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp table salt
- Remove meatballs from the refrigerator and lightly brush with vegetable oil. Bake both trays in the oven for 12 minutes.vegetable oil
- 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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