The amazing flavor in these homemade creamy Thai Curry Chicken Meatballs is fantastic. The bold coconut milk red curry sauce is savory, sour, sweet, rich, & the perfect amount of spicy. Don't let a single drop of the gorgeous sauce go to waste!
Why this Thai Red Curry Chicken Recipe is the Best: The fun ground chicken meatballs are not just an inexpensive twist but also a great way to introduce kids to asian flavors.
This quick recipe cooks up in just 30 minutes. It's made in one big skillet - easy to make & easier to clean up after.
This recipe is different from my Slow Cooker Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry which is an Indian-style curry. The spice profiles are different for Indian vs Thai Curries. Ok, now we cook!
Ingredients
The dairy-free sauce uses authentic ingredients like coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, limes, & fresh herbs. It's easy to make this gluten-free as well for a meal idea more people can enjoy.
Here are the ingredients needed to make ground chicken meatballs in a Thai-inspired coconut milk sauce:
- Ground Chicken - this lean minced poultry is the base for the meatballs.
- Soy Sauce/Tamari - for salty umami flavor (use tamari for gluten-free)
- Thai Red Curry Paste - I use Thai Kitchen brand but any variety will work (do not use Indian red curry powder, that is completely different)
- Green Onion - chopped small white & green parts.
- Bread Crumbs - regular or gluten-free seasoned or plain fine breadcrumbs (not panko style)
- Olive Oil - to pan fry the meat balls before simmering
- Spices - black pepper & garlic powder
- Onion - thinly sliced
- Sweet Bell Pepper - thinly sliced, any color.
- Garlic - minced cloves
- Canned Coconut Milk - the full-fat kind that has both coconut water/cream parts so it is rich & thick.
- Chicken Broth - base for the savory sauce.
- Fish Sauce - for salty brine flavor classic in traditional Thai recipes.
- Limes - the sour citrus punch of acid from the juice is a classic ingredient in Thai cuisine plus wedges for serving.
- Fresh Herbs - basil (thai or regular) & cilantro
- OPTIONAL - Thai red chili pepper sauce if you want a SPICY version.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Thai Curry Chicken Meatballs
This is a one-pan skillet dinner where everything is done on the stovetop. No oven or other dishes to dirty - - - this is why this recipe is better than others out there that require oven baking the meatballs first & then adding it to the curry sauce.
Here are the easy steps for making tender meatballs in a Thai-style red curry sauce:
- Mix & Cook Meatballs
- Make Red Curry Sauce & Simmer
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Mix & Cook Meatballs
Mixing up and rolling meatballs is a task I love to get the kids involved with. It speeds up the process but more importantly gives them confidence & more excitement about eating something they made.
In a medium mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the chicken meatballs. This is an egg-free meatball, they hold together with the help of the breadcrumbs, soy sauce, & paste.
Form 1.5-2 tablespoons worth of meat mixture into balls with your hands. I find hands that are wet with water help keep it from sticking too much.
You should get about 16 equal-sized chicken meatballs.
Preheat a large 10-12" skillet (make sure it is big enough to hold all the sauce & meatballs) on the stovetop with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once it is hot after 2-3 minutes, it is ready to add the meatballs (the HOT oil keeps the meatballs from sticking vs adding it to cold oil)
Carefully add the meatballs to the hot oil and cook on each side about 1-2 minutes, constantly rotating and turning with a spoon so that all sides get brown. This takes about 10 minutes & should be 165°F internal temperature when they are done. Set aside on a plate.
2 - Make Red Curry Sauce & Simmer
Reduce the heat of the pan to low. Use a slotting spoon to remove any meat bits from the oil.
To the oil, add the onions & bell peppers. Stir & cook for 5 minutes, just until softened.
Add the garlic and curry paste to the skillet. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the broth, fish sauce, & lime juice. Stir to combine and scrape up any bits from the pan.
Add the coconut milk & turn the heat up to medium. Add the meatballs back to the pan and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon into a large serving bowl or into individual bowls. Each serving is 4 meatballs & ¼ of the pan sauce. Top with chopped basil & cilantro, serve with wedges of limes.
I love to use my fork to crack the meatballs in half & let them soak up the sauce so they are extra moist, tender, & flavorful.
What to Serve with Thai Curry : I enjoy this all by itself for a low-carb complete meal. It is also great served over steamed white or brown rice, chicken broth rice, cooked rice noodles, or zucchini spirals/zoodles.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - Make sure the meatballs are all the same size so they cook evenly and are done at the same time.
- A large skillet, 10" or bigger, is all your need. I am using a nonstick 12" Tfal pan that I love.
- Any ground or minced meat will work; try it with pork, beef, turkey, or a combination.
- For a more tender meatball, double the bread crumbs & soy sauce if you are ok with the extra carbs & sodium.
- For extra spicy - add a tablespoon of red chili garlic sauce to the curry sauce. (this is how I roll!)
- My son won't let a drop of this sauce go to waste so I serve it with homemade roti so he can sop up every drop!
- This is one of my new favorite Asian Recipes & a "must-try" for the whole family.
Thai Curry Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- large rimmed skillet
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
- ⅓ cup green onion minced
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs regular or gluten-free
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Thai Curry Sauce
- ½ medium onion sliced thin
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced thin
- ¼ cup Thai red curry paste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk 14 ounces
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ cup Thai basil chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Chicken Meatballs
- In a medium mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the chicken meatballs.1 pound ground chicken, 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste, ⅓ cup green onion, ⅓ cup bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Using your hands mix everything together thoroughly. Shape the mixture into 16 equal-sized round balls. Each will be about 1.5-2 tablespoons measured.
- In a large skillet add the olive oil and heat on medium-high, 6 is the setting that works best for me. Let the oil heat for 2-3 minutes.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the meatballs to the hot oil carefully. Let them cook on each side about 1-2 minutes, constantly rotating and turning with a spoon so that all sides get brown.
- After about 10 minutes each meatball should be done. The internal temperature for each needs to reach 165°F. Remove as they are done cooking and set aside on a plate.
Curry Sauce
- Reduce the heat of the pan to low, 2 is what I like to use for this next step. Using a slotting spoon, remove any bits from the oil from cooking the meatballs.
- To the oil, add the onions & bell peppers. Stir & cook for 5 minutes, just until softened.½ medium onion, 1 yellow bell pepper
- Add the garlic and curry paste to the skillet. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.¼ cup Thai red curry paste, 4 cloves garlic
- Deglaze the pan with the broth, fish sauce, & lime juice. Stir to combine and scrape up any bits from the pan.½ cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, ½ tablespoon lime juice
- Add the coconut milk & turn the heat up to medium. Bring to a low simmer and add the meatballs back to the pan. Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes to warm them back up & soak in some of the sauce.1 can full-fat coconut milk
- Remove from heat & top with fresh chopped herbs. Serve over rice or plain in bowl with wedges of lime.¼ cup Thai basil, ¼ cup cilantro, lime wedges
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Since this is non-dairy, it freezes well for up to a month. Defrost in the refrigerator for 48 hours before reheating.
- To reheat, place in a microwave-safe dish & heat for 1-2 minutes, depending on the amount.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to cut down on the salt content.
- Use ground turkey, beef, or pork if chicken is not your thing.
- DO NOT substitute the curry or the coconut milk - it will not give the authentic Thai flavors (Indian curries are not the same)
- Fish allergy - omit the fish sauce & use additional soy sauce
- GLUTEN-FREE ; use gluten-free bread crumbs & tamari as a substitute for soy sauce.
Nutrition
More Chicken Skillet Recipes
Here are some similar recipes made on the stovetop in one pan:
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