Description
Orange Chicken Meatballs – a flavorful and delicious weeknight dinner option the whole family will love!
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- zest of 1 orange, minced
- olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 1/5 cups orange juice
- 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (added later)
Add-Ins:
- 2–4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- Cauliflower Rice
Instructions
- Combine the Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Let it simmer while making the meatballs.
- Combine the Meatball ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop out approx. 1 1/2 tablespoons of meatball mixture, forming a ball, and place on a large plate. Continue until all of the meatball mixture is used. (See Notes)
- Take large/medium cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and use a spatula to spread evenly to coat the pan. Add chicken meatballs and sear on all sides, about 3 minutes.
- Turn down heat to medium and cover. Let cook 10-15 minutes, moving around frequently, until fully cooked (165 internal temperature – I recommend using a meat thermometer).
- Remove the meatballs and set aside.
- In the same skillet you cooked the meatballs, pour in the sauce that has been simmering. Add in the tapioca starch and whisk continually, bringing the sauce to simmer. It will slowly start to thicken.
- Add the meatballs back in and toss to fully coat. Remember the sauce will thicken even more as it cools a little.
- If you are making broccoli to go with this you can add that in at this point, cover the dish and let the broccoli steam for a few minutes (just don’t let the sauce go above a small simmer or it may get gummy). You can also just steam your broccoli separately and then add in to the sauce or serve it on the side.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ground Chicken: ground chicken can be very sticky so it helps to have a little bowl of oil next to you when you are making the chicken meatballs. Get a little oil on your fingers and then rub on the inside of the cookie dough scoop before scooping up the meatball mixture.
- Serving: to keep it Whole30/Paleo you can serve it with broccoli and cauliflower rice. If you aren’t concerned with Whole30/Paleo then feel free to serve with regular rice for a gluten-free option!
- Storage: keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.