Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs
Published 9/20/2024
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Get sassy with dinner and make our Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs! This is a Fit Foodie classic and a personal favorite of mine. They’re super simple to whip up, too, because the chicken meatballs are baked and then tossed in a simple homemade kung pao sauce.
If you don’t know what to make for dinner. Make these Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs ASAP. Remember FFF’s Healthy Kung Pao Chicken that we posted 1,000 years ago? Well, we based this sauce off of that very recipe. Why? Because it’s gotten rave reviews from so many FFF readers, we thought we’d re-invent it with an amazing baked chicken meatballs recipe!
I do want to make a quick note that this kung pao sauce is NOT authentic. It’s very much a “Minnesota-nice, I’ve got about 5 minutes to make dinner” kind-of-sauce.
What You Need for Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs
We actually tested this recipe with both ground chicken and ground turkey, and both of them work. YAY! Here’s what else you need for the ground chicken meatballs:
- onion
- flour (any kind)
- rolled oats
- sriracha
- salt
- pepper
- garlic
Make them g/f: You can easily keep these flavorful kung pao meatballs gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free rolled oats. We love the texture rolled oats give these baked meatballs and I’m sure you will too!
You Must Try Our Kung Pao Sauce
Once you’ve got your meatballs in the oven, it’s time to make the kung pao sauce! Now, I’m sort of biased about Fit Foodie’s kung pao sauce, but it’s pretty damn good! I love it mostly because it’s made with honey and not another refined sugar. It’s also super basic with just 5 total ingredients.
- soy sauce (or tamari)
- sriracha
- red chili sauce
- honey
Is this kung pao sauce super spicy?
I would say it’s medium or…Minnesota spicy? You can totally control the spice by adding more soy sauce and/or honey!
How to Serve Your Meatballs
- Appetizer: these meatballs are perfect for a high-protein app. Just pop a toothpick in each one!
- Make it a meal: serve your meatballs over white rice and your favorite veggie such as air fryer broccoli.
More Meatball Recipes
- Green Curry Sweet Potato Chicken Meatballs
- Red Coconut Curry Meatballs
- Healthy Rosemary Thyme Balsamic Meatballs
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs Skewers
More Stir Fry Recipes
- Kung Pao Shrimp
- Our Best Healthy Stir Fry Recipes
- Honey Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
- Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Baked Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1/3 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour, option to sub all-purpose or gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup rolled oatmeal
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
For the Kung Pao Sauce
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce, option to tamari or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 400ºF and spray a baking sheet with coconut oil cooking spray. Set aside.
- Next, prep chicken meatballs mixture by placing all ingredients into a large bowl mixing until combined.
- Using a tablespoon cookie scoop (note: these are bite-sized, not giant!), scoop out a heaping scoop of mixture and mold into a ball with your hands. It works best if your hands are slightly wet with water. Place on baking sheet and repeat.
- Bake meatballs at 400ºF for 25-28 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown.
- While the meatballs are cooking, prep the kung pao sauce, by mixing all ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Once the meatballs have slightly cooled, toss in sauce. Serve hot!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Do you prepare oatmeal or is it just whole oats or ground oats?
Amazing– my picky boyfriend even liked these and he usually doesn’t like meatballs! I did not have any ground chicken on hand, so I used ground turkey. Turned out spectacular and will definitely be making again!
I tripled the recipe and I made the chicken version for a dinner party; I thought it would be good appetizer. This recipe is designed to be eaten right away. I believe it needs more fat for moisture or maybe milk added like in a traditional meatball. They looked pretty but after they sat out for 15 mins. they tasted dry. I had people arriving 30-60 mins. after I put them out and they lost something by then. I think they would be better with a ground turkey that is higher in fat content.
Substituted flour for almond flour and used coconut aminos… these came out AMAZING. Staple recipe for sure! Thanks!
These are amaze-balls for real! Loved these and will def be on repeat. Thanks girl
YASSS
I doubled this for meal prep, to be served with frozen broccoli, cauliflower, sliced bell peppers, and carrots over a mix of brown and black rice. My meatballs look more like thick meat cookies than balls, but that helps them pack into my container for work better. Absolutely delicious. A great balance of flavors in the sauce, and the highlight of work currently. lol Thanks for the recipe!
If there is only 10 tablespoons of sauce in your recipe, how are all the meatballs swimming in sauce in the pictures ?
These are sooo delicious and so easy to make! Next time I’m volunentold to bring something for work potluck, it will be These! Yum!
I would like to try this recipe but oven is out at this time. Can I fry them, maybe in some coconut oil??
I made these today, they were amazing! I added twice the amount of honey to cut spicy. Served with jasmine rice and pan sautéed sugar snap peas.