Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
Ground chicken meatballs baked hands-off on a sheet pan, then tossed in a mirin-and-sake glaze that's a real teriyaki, not just honey and soy.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Written
Method
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Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
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In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, egg, minced scallions, garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and salt, mixing just until it holds together.
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Roll into 1½-inch meatballs, about 20, and arrange on the sheet with space between them.
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Bake until firm and lightly browned and a meatball registers 165°F, about 18 minutes.
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Meanwhile, whisk the ½ cup soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
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Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the glaze thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.
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Toss the baked meatballs in the glaze until every one is coated.
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Scatter with sesame seeds and more scallions before serving.
Notes
Mirin and sake are what make this an actual teriyaki instead of another honey-soy glaze — the sake adds a bit of funk under the sweetness, and the sugar caramelizes differently than honey does when it hits the hot meatballs. Don’t overwork the meatball mixture once the panko’s in, or the fat renders out in the oven and they turn dense instead of staying tender.
Good over rice with the extra glaze spooned on, or skip the rice and serve them on toothpicks for a party.