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–+ servings

Sweet & Sour Chicken Meatballs

These Sweet & Sour Chicken Meatballs are deliciously sweet and tangy. They have all the amazing flavors of sweet and sour chicken packed into a tasty meatball. Baked to perfection, they’re so tender and full of flavor, and they stay juicy even when reheated! Plus, this recipe is fairly easy and calls for mostly pantry staples.
Katie Chase
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • parchment paper
  • sheet pan
  • medium mixing bowl
  • mixing spoon
  • whisk
  • 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop
  • Small Saucepan
  • Spoon
  • instant-read thermometer
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

Chicken Meatball Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ¾ cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons diced green onions divided
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Sweet & Sour Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, add ground chicken, soy sauce, bread crumbs, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the green onions, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Gently combine.
    1 lb ground chicken, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ¾ cup plain bread crumbs, 1 clove garlic, 3 tablespoons diced green onions, 1 egg, ½ tsp salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Form into meatballs, about 2 tablespoons in size (this makes about 20).
  • Place on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
  • While the meatballs bake, mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and ketchup in a small sauce pan over high heat until simmering then reduce heat to medium.
    1 cup pineapple juice, ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup ketchup
  • Mix the cornstarch and water and pour into the sauce. Continue whisking until the sauce is shiny and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ cup water
  • When the meatballs are fully cooked, coat the meatballs with the sauce. Top with the remaining green onions and serve.
    3 tablespoons diced green onions

Notes

Ensure you’re using ground chicken and not ground chicken breast, which is too lean and would make a tough and dry meatball.