Orange Chicken Meatballs
Orange Chicken Meatballs - a flavorful and delicious weeknight dinner option the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups orange juice
- ¼ cup orange juice concentrate
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons coconut aminos sub soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
Optional Add-Ins:
- 2-4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- cauliflower rice
Instructions
- Make Sauce: In a small saucepan, add 1 ¼ cups orange juice, ¼ cup orange juice concentrate, 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons coconut aminos, 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, 2 teaspoons garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Make Meatball Mixture: While the sauce simmers, add 1 pound ground chicken, ½ cup almond flour, 1 egg, zest of 1 orange, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper to a large bowl. Mix to fully combine.
- Form Meatballs: Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop out approx. 1 ½ tablespoons of meatball mixture, forming a ball, and place on a large plate. Continue until all of the meatball mixture is used. (See Notes)
- Cook Meatballs: Take a large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive 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 – use a meat thermometer). Remove the meatballs and set aside.
- Add Sauce: In the same skillet you cooked the meatballs, pour in the sauce that has been simmering. Add 1 teaspoon tapioca starch and whisk continually, bringing the sauce to simmer. It will slowly start to thicken.
- Combine: Add the meatballs back in and toss to fully coat. Remember the sauce will thicken even more as it cools a little.
- Optional Broccoli: If you are making broccoli, 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: Enjoy 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 the best 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 852mg | Potassium: 1038mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 108mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg
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