Plump juicy chicken meatballs smothered in a terrific homemade Teriyaki sauce, based on my mother’s authentic Teriyaki Chicken recipe. Would you serve these Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs as a meal or pass them around at a party?
Greetings from Calgary in Canada! I know one would expect me to regale you with stories of my travels, but I’m going to disappoint you. I’m here visiting my friend Jo from Jo Cooks, fellow Meatball Queen*, and it’s one of those trips where I’m just “hanging like a local”. Perhaps much to Jo’s disappointment.
Jo: “Do you want to go see Lake this or Mount that?”
Me: “Hmmm, how far away are they?”
Jo: “Few hours drive.”
Me (peering into the distance): “Is that the Rocky Mountains over there?”
Jo: “Yup”
Me: “So I’ve seen it. Tick!”
Jo (eye roll): “So really, what do you want to do?? We can do whatever you want!”
Me: “I just want to see your normal life! Your favourite restaurants, your friends and family. Oh, and most importantly, I need you to just drop me at your local supermarket and leave me be for a few hours.” (Call me a dag, it’s one of my favourite activities everywhere I visit. I love seeing local produce, comparing prices, products we can’t get in Australia and also from professional interest, checking different cuts of meat and names for ingredients I regularly use in my recipes.)
And let’s not forget that I’ll be attending Calgary’s biggest party of the year – the Calgary Stampede! So bummed I don’t have cowboy boots BUT Jo has a hot pink cowboy hat to loan me. SCORED!
As with many of my trips, I like to make something inspired by my travels. Though truth be told, much of the time it’s food that I can’t get in Australia that I can no longer live without after having tried them somewhere. I look forward to seeing what Can’t-Live-Without Canadian recipe I take home with me from my travels!
So as you have guessed, these Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs have less than nothing to do with this current trip. Except that it’s overdue – it was supposed to be my Monday Meatball Mania* recipe from June and I’m two weeks late with it. Send me to the naughty corner! 😉
These Teriyaki Meatballs are a total crowd please. The sauce for this recipe is based on my mother’s real-deal Teriyaki Chicken recipe (you will be surprised how easy it is – less than 15 minutes start to finish, NO marinating!). All I did was add cornflour / cornstarch as thickener and water to thin it out to make it more saucy.
My mother is a bit of a food snob when it comes to western twists on Japanese classics. Once she watched a celebrity chef butchering a classic Japanese tempura recipe and she was so indignant that she wrote into the cooking show to inform them how wrong it was. BA HA HA!
So while she was somewhat doubtful as she went about making these Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs for the recipe video, she grudgingly agreed they were very tasty. *Eye roll* Mothers! – Nagi xx
PS She never heard back from the show.
* Monday Meatball Mania is a monthly challenge that Jo from Jo Cooks and I have been doing since the beginning of the year where we each share a meatballs recipe on the last Monday of every month. Other than that, the rules are that there are no rules. This is my late June meatballs recipe. I wonder if Jo will agree it was worth the wait!!! 😉
Soft, plump, juicy meatballs smothered in a homemade Teriyaki sauce! A good way to ensure chicken meatballs stay juicy is to finish cooking them in a sauce, as is done here in this recipe. The sauce for this recipe is based my mother's authentic Teriyaki Chicken recipe. Which means - no garlic, no ginger, no sesame oil or any other variations that are commonly seen! Serve these as a meal or pass them around at a party. Recipe video below and recipe notes for BAKING option.
- 1 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/4 cup / 65ml soy sauce , all purpose / ordinary (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup / 65ml cooking sake , or sub with Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (Note 2)
- 1/4 cup / 65ml Mirin (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp white sugar (brown also ok)
- ¾ cup / 180 ml water
- 500 g / 1 lb chicken mince (ground chicken) (or pork or turkey)
- 1 egg (preferably small 50g / 1.4 oz)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or ¾ cup normal breadcrumbs)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 ½ tsp cooking sake , or sub with Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (Note 2)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
- Sliced green onions / scallions , for garnish (optional)
- Sesame seeds , for garnish (optional)
-
Place Meatball ingredients in a bowl.
-
Place cornflour in a bowl with 1 tbsp of the water, then mix until lump free. Then add the soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar, mix.
-
Add 2 tsp of Teriyaki Sauce into the Meatball bowl.
-
Add remaining water into the Sauce and mix. Set aside.
-
Mix Meatball mixture with your hands. Measure out 1 heaped tablespoon and roll into balls. See Note 3 for tips if mixture is too sticky.
-
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add all the meatballs and cook, rolling to brown all over, for 5 minutes. They will still be a bit raw inside.
-
Turn heat down. Give the Sauce a quick mix then add it into the pan. Bring to a simmer then cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until it thickens into a glossy sauce that coats the meatballs.
-
Serve over rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
1. I use Kikkoman which is a Japanese brand sold at major supermarkets here in Australia, and also at Asian stores. It is different to soy sauce labelled dark, light or sweet. It’s in between dark and light soy sauce.
Best sub would be equal parts mix of light and dark soy sauce. Otherwise just light soy sauce will be fine. I do not recommend using just dark soy sauce - flavour is too intense.
2. Cooking sake and Mirin are two types of rice wines that are essential to Japanese cooking. Nowadays, both are readily available at major supermarkets here in Australia and of course at Asian stores (better value!). To achieve a truly great Teriyaki flavour, I can’t offer a decent substitute for Mirin. However, the sake can be substituted with dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine.
Unfortunately, I can’t suggest alcohol free substitutes for Teriyaki sauce. The rice wines are too essential for the flavour. NOTE: The alcohol evaporates when cooked.
3. Chicken mince can sometimes be very wet. Depends which part of the chicken is used, quality of chicken (older mince can get watery, fresh mince is not as wet, meat from the butcher is typically less wet than from supermarkets). Three tips to help make your mixture manageable to easily roll into balls:
a) refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up;
b) spray / rub hands lightly with oil (works better than water) before rolling balls; and
c) in emergencies only, add more breadcrumbs!
4. BAKING: My default method of cooking chicken meatballs is on the stove because I like the caramelisation (beef and lamb have more fat so they get a nicer browning when baked). To bake, for best results, spray a rack with oil, roll the balls and place on the rack and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (These 2 tips help keep them round when baked) Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven at 180C/350F for 18 - 20 minutes (assuming you make them 1 rounded packed tablespoon per recipe) - any longer than they will start to dry out. Reduce the water in the Sauce by 1/4 cup and simmer in a saucepan for 5 minutes or so until it thickens. Once the meatballs are baked, toss them in the sauce or just pour it over when serving.
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs recipe video! Starring my mother – appropriate because the Teriyaki Sauce is her recipe, and it’s a proper homemade Japanese one, not a westernised one (albeit I’ve had to adjust it to make loads more sauce for this recipe without it being too salty!).
LIFE OF DOZER
When I’m away, Dozer stays with a Golden Retriever Boarder who treats him as one of her own. He has the run of her house, lies under the table during meal time (clever boy), sleeps in front of the fireplace and knows he’s at the very bottom of the pecking order. 😂 (That’s him on the left)
SaveSave
Nagi these were incredible. My balls are not as pretty as yours lol. That teriyaki sauce was amazing. I kept smelling it as I added ingredients and was thinking this surely doesn’t smell like the bottled stuff and wow! So fresh. Anyway I could eat this daily. I served it over rice and s side of steamed brocolli which I topped with of course the teriyaki sauce. I had some leftover toasted almond slices which gave a nice crunch. 😍
I’m so pleased to hear that Steven! My mother will be too when she reads this. She always comes back to posts where I use one of her recipes just to check out what people say – ba ha ha! N x PS Love the almond touch!
Just realized yes this is your moms teriyaki recipe. Please tell her amazing. Hope your having fun in NYC. Heard it was one of the hottest days of the year.
I am a melting, hot, sticky mess. The subway is killing me!!!😅
Haha. Hey it’s hotter in NY than Florida. 😜 I’m making your chicken gyro for dinner tomorrow nights party. Was torn between your Chinese and Greek balls, but went with Greek gyros. Go figure.
Just made these for dinner, oh my gosh that’s the best teriyaki sauce ever! Many thanks for the recipe Nagi – so easy and scrumptious! (Bonus points for looking just like yours!) 🙂 xx
WHOOT! My mother is sitting here next to me – just told her you liked her sauce – she was SUPER happy! 🙂 N xx
What can be used to substitute the cooking sake and Mirin? They are mostly alcohol content and I do not take them. Would love to try the homemade teriyaki sauce….
Hi Leena! Unfortunately for this recipe they are key to the flavour so can’t be substituted. Sorry! N x
Thanks Nagi for the feedback 🙂
Hey!!! (I meant eh??!!) Is this the same Calgarian chef and restaurauteur Jo of ‘Beaver Balls” food and T-Shirt fame?
No!!! 🙂 She laughed when I asked if she was secretly famous!!! (PS Don’t get me started on the “Eh”. I’ve been using it excessively!!!)
Nagi,
really– do not miss the opportunity to go to the mountains! It’s only one hour (or less) from Calgary!!! And a beautiful drive, at that! You will not be sorry!!!
ps. the recipe sounds fabulous 🙂
I WISH I was in Calgary for longer so I had time! I was actually only there for 5 days 🙂 Which seems like long enough but it wasn’t!! My friend lives on the other side of Calgary so she said the closest would have been around 3 hours drive, so I decided to skip it this trip. Next time! I am REALLY keen to do a river trip – what a way to see this area!! N xx
Excited to hear you are visiting my town and happy you are having fun stampeding! I have been a huge fan since the last time I visited my son and his family in Canberra. Every recipe I’ve made has been a success and I’m looking forward to trying these when my “Aussie” family visits next month. Can’t wait!!
(Sorry about the rain today…)
Hi Brenda! I had SUCH a wonderful time in Calgary! Too short 🙁 I’m sad to be leaving today – I’m at the airport right now. I had the most amazing time Stampeding – I share more in today’s post!! Thank you for the kind words and believe me, I was not complaining about the rain, I thought the cooler weather was a nice change from the heat! N xx
Made these for dinner tonight served with rice and beans… they were delicious!! Mine weren’t as pretty as yours though. I will be making them again and I think they would also be perfect for finger food at a party!
I think you’re the first to report in on these!!! So pleased you enjoyed them Alicia 🙂 And who cares if they were kinda wonky! Though if you want them to be nice and round, try the tips in the recipe notes to refrigerate the mixture and use oil on your hands 🙂 Firms up the balls and helps them retain shape while cooking. N xx
Man, my meatballs NEVER turn out round like that LOL. Always lopsided, oval or square-shaped results. Not that it matters, though, because with the great recipes you present, they always disappear so fast the only one that notices the shapes is me (thank goodness).
Hope you’re having a blast in Calgary – can’t wait to see the Stampede pics!
Btw, Dozer isn’t being humble amongst his fellow canine friends – he’s just being a well-trained, polite puppy!
You are right – it DOESN’T MATTER!!!!! 😂 N xx
looks yummy! would it be possible to oven bake the meatball instead?
HI Shelley! Yup for sure – spray with oil, bake at 180C/350F for 20 minutes 🙂
Lol….you are just up the road a ways from where I live! (northern Minnesota) Cool!!!
These look extra delicious!! Share them???? bwaaahhhhaaa…..THEY ARE ALL MINE!!!!!
No way! Is it just as warm where you are? Can’t get over how warm it is! N xx
Wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon. So Thank you! Love meatballs any time, they look so inviting. As for Dozer he seems to having more friends than Me. Nagi, Re: my sister I feel bit better, am over initial shock. But her 2 Ne daughter from Sydney went on her own ( little ones 03, 18 months with his family) just for 02 weeks. As Family they were in Germany in December, just over the Xmas. But it’s hard ’cause now the Dr’s DO NOT AGREE WITH EACH OTHER SO THEY HAVENT STARTED THERAPY TODAY IS HAVING YET ANOTHER MRA. HOPE THEY COME UP WITH RIGHT SOLUTION/treatment soon. Nagi, please keep cont enjoy you self, be HAPPY!
Oh dear it’s so frustrating Vera. I’m sorry to hear that, and I hope they come up with the right solution too. I hope YOU are keeping well and looking after yourself too Vera. N x ❤️
Yes thats what I like to do exactly we’d be perfect travelling companions. Speaking of perfect. The roundness of those meatballs is awesome.
Glad to hear it’s not just me! 😂 N x
Nagi! Welcome to Canada! I hope it’s one of your most enjoyable travel memories…and Dorothy is right…go Shopping!! Just remember to buy the boots 1 size smaller than the shoe size you normally wear 🙂
While you’re here, grab some poutine, Nanaimo bar, butter tarts and/or butter tart square for sure…and do be sure to save room for all the goodies you’re going to find at the stampede. Have a hoot! Above all, be safe. 🙂
PS – Dozer is a lucky boy indeed!
You basically listed every item on my “MUST TRY” list! 😂 The Stampede was a treat frenzy…. my mind is still boggling at “all things fried” that I saw! N xx
Glad to hear you are in Canada! Hope you and Dozer have a great visit! Will try out this receipt this week
LOVING Canada! Weather is fantastic, Stampede was a blast! 🙂 N xx
Welcome to my country Nagi!! You’re too funny about seeing the Rockies in the distance and checked it off your box. I’m guessing Jo wanted to take you to Lake Louise or Banff – God’s country for sure but hey – this is your trip and I get hanging in the grocery stores and checking out different products and food. Great Canadian Beef for sure and maybe they’ll introduce you to Poutine which is a popular Canadian dish. Enjoy the Stampede and get that cowboy hat on!! Just say “eh” at the end of your sentences and you’ll blend right in. Oh yeah, going to try these meatballs for sure this weekend when we host our BBQ….they look awesome!!
Ba ha ha! To be truthful, it’s quite a short trip – just 5 days in Calgary, and I felt it was a bit of a rush to just quickly pop by the Rockies with the distance we’d have to travel to get there. So I’d rather save it for the next time I’m here when I actually have time to explore it a bit!!! Just got back from the Stampede this evening, had a BLAST! Tried Poutine in my cowboy hat, saw my first rodeo show and had the most AMAZING TIME! I LOVE CALGARY!!!! N xx
Hi! I just subscribed to your blog after coming across the recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs. I’ve been browsing and I love what I see! Delicious, real, food cooked with obvious love. No trendy recipes with “here-today-gone-tomorrow” ingredients, no healthy-but-tasteless recipes with mile-long ingredient lists that take all day to prepare. Instead, practical food, comfort food, yummy food, and lots of my favorite ethnic foods–Asian, Indian, Italian! I think I’m gonna like hearing from you!
Thanks for the lovely compliment Brenda! I hope you try some recipes and LOVE them! N xx
I do the same thing when I travel. I love seeing the grocery stores and farmers markets. You really can learn so much about a place. And bring back loads of new tasty treats! 🙂
Hi Nagi – for some reason chicken mince is very hard to find here. I’m pretty sure I can use turkey breast mince instead or will that be too dry?
Hi Laura – perfect sub! In fact, I will put it in the notes 🙂 N x
Looks delicious and I plan to make them tonight but I wonder: Would they still work if baked, like your Oven Baked Italian Meatballs? I have very poor luck with frying meatballs, partially due to the fact that I have an all-electric house and cooking on an electric stove is much more difficult than gas. No good way to make immediate changes to the cooking temperature, etc. So, what about it, Nagi? Please say it’s okay, please, please. And yeah, go shopping for some great boots. You won’t regret it when you bring them home and find that suddenly, they go with everything you wear! Hope that you and Dozer are not missing each other too much; it is so hard to be away from the one who occupies your heart. But at least he is with his own breed and presumably having a great time.
YES YES YES to baking them!!!! For best results, refrigerate the balls then place on a rack (also sprayed with oil) (these 2 tips help keep them round) then place the rack on a tray and bake 180C/350F for 20 minutes (assuming you make them 1 rounded packed tablespoon per recipe). Simmer the sauce in a saucepan until it thickens (you can reduce the water by 1/4 cup) then once the meatballs are baked, toss them in the sauce or just pour it over when serving. Thanks for the question, I’ll update the recipe. As for BOOTS…..well, the cheapest (decent) cowgirl boots I found were over $200 and given I don’t see myself wearing them back in Sydney, I had to pass on them! HOWEVER I decked myself out on theme…..will share pics in the next post!!! N xx
Ha! Ha! Nagi, I can just see you wearing “cowgirl boots” in your swimmers on Manly beach. Why not? Plenty of females wear “boots” with whatever they want including “short – shorts” and a winter jacket over their singlet top and in Ozzie winter time. It’s OK Jack, you’ll be right mate, have another beer. Ha! Ha!
Love the idea of baking these in the oven as I too don’t seem to be able to get meatballs to stay in a “nice” round shape in a frypan. Glad you’re enjoying Canada, it is beautiful up in the Rockies – but not just to see in the distance. Dozer obviously is enjoying himself as well.
Hi Nagi. It sounds like you are having a great time just chilling with Jo! These meatballs are calling me. They would be a great party food, but that sauce soaking into the rice makes me want these that way. I’d eat these any way I can get them! Now, what do you mean no cowboy boots?? You really need to remedy that. Even I have cowboy boots, two pair in fact. GO SHOPPING!!
TWO PAIRS OF COWBOY BOOTS????? 😂 PS Imagine how much I will be mocked if I wear COWBOY BOOTS in SYDNEY!!!!
Hi Nagi. You would not be mocked, you would be making a fashion statement!! PS $200.00 for a nice pair of boots is not expensive, $600.00 is getting expensive.
Can you imagine me stomping around the northern beaches in COWBOY BOOTS???!! 😂