Eating clean does not mean you have to give up Chinese food, or meatballs! With this recipe for sweet chili chicken meatballs you can still enjoy both!
Sweet Chili Chicken Meatballs
My biggest fear when I started eating healthier, specifically clean, was that I would have to give up some of my favorite comfort foods- Chinese. I absolutely adore noodles, sauce and all things Chinese food. The problem with Chinese food, besides fat is the salt. In a clean eating recipe salt is used very minimally if at all, when used it is typically sea salt.
This recipe for sweet chili chicken meatballs uses low fat, lean ground chicken and we make our own sauce to avoid that added salt and of course, no MSG.
Serve these meatballs over whole wheat linguine (instead of lo mein noodles which are not considered clean) or whole grain rice, even quinoa. The meatballs also freeze really well. If you are on the 21 day fix or just plan your lunch/meals by servings for the week, it is very easy to do with this recipe.
Here is how to make them, enjoy!
Serves 6
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1/3 cup cabbage, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
1 small carrot, grated
2-3 green onion sprigs
1 egg
1/2 cup low sodium, whole wheat bread crumbs
Sauce:
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup low sodium teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or powder)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Peapods and Carrots to garnish
Olive Oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425
Lightly grease a sheet pan with Olive oil.
Add chicken, egg, bread crumbs to a bowl and mix well.
Stir in the cabbage, peppers, onions and carrot.
It is best to just get right in with your hands and mix.
Roll into 2″ balls, place on sheet pan.
Bake for 15-20 mins or until cooked through.
Add all sauce ingredients to a skillet. Mix well.
If using peapods and carrots, add them now.
Place meatballs into the skillet and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.
Cook until sauce starts to thicken and caramelize.
Serve over cauliflower rice, whole grain noodles or just more veggies!
