Pineapple Chicken or Turkey Meatballs (Printable)

Juicy chicken or turkey meatballs in sweet tangy pineapple sauce. Perfect appetizer or main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground chicken or turkey
02 - 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
07 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Pineapple Sauce

10 - 1 cup pineapple juice
11 - 1/2 cup water
12 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
13 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
14 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
15 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
16 - 1 can pineapple chunks (8 oz), drained
17 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
18 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
19 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken or turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Mix just until combined.
03 - Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly golden.
05 - While the meatballs bake, whisk together pineapple juice, water, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch until smooth.
06 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil. Sauté red bell pepper for 2 minutes. Add pineapple chunks and cook another 2 minutes.
07 - Pour the pineapple sauce mixture into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
08 - Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat through. Serve hot, garnished with extra green onion or sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The meatballs stay incredibly juicy even after baking, thanks to the breadcrumbs and egg working together
  • That pineapple sauce hits every perfect note sweet, tangy, and just a little bit savory
  • You get all the comfort of takeout without the greasy aftertaste or the delivery wait
02 -
  • Do not skip the cornstarch whisking step, or your sauce will end up with lumps instead of being smooth and glossy
  • The meatballs continue cooking slightly in the sauce, so pull them from the oven when they are just cooked through
  • Let the sauce simmer for the full time, otherwise it will be too thin to coat the meatballs properly
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop for perfectly uniform meatballs that cook evenly every single time
  • Grate your ginger and garlic directly into the meat mixture to avoid washing extra tools
  • If the sauce seems too thick after cooling, add a splash of pineapple juice to loosen it back up

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