Cilantro Chicken Meatballs in Mango Coconut Sauce

I’m bringing back a one pan meal everyone is absolutely obsessed with. It’s seasonal, perfect for summer, and PACKED WITH FLAVOR.

I’d such as you to meet my cilantro chicken meatballs simmered in a easy, candy mango coconut sauce. I’m in love and you will be too.

This recipe all started when I was digging round in my blog archives looking at some of my most well liked dinner recipes. Most of them happened to be one pan meals: Mama’s Puerto Rican chicken and rice, Thai yellow curry chicken and rice and naturally my tandoori chicken and rice.

Clearly I’m a one pan meal lover and so are YOU!

ingredients for cilantro chicken meatballs in a bowl

Ingredients in these cilantro chicken meatballs

These wholesome cilantro chicken meatballs are filled with SO much taste, herbs and spices that it’s assured to be your new favourite recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to cause them to:

For the meatballs: you’ll need lean floor chicken (or turkey), an egg, panko breadcrumbs, cilantro, crimson onion, jalapeno, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric and cayenne.
For the mango coconut sauce: this creamy sauce is made with a can of light coconut milk, diced mango and a pair tablespoons of gluten free soy sauce.
Mix-ins: simmer the meatballs up with red bell pepper and peas for a spice up of veggies.
To garnish: I really like topping my plate with chopped honey roasted peanuts, inexperienced onion, contemporary cilantro and a few hot sauce.

Easy element swaps

Customize your cilatnro chicken meatballs with any of our beneficial ingredient swaps:

Use chicken or turkey. Whether you employ floor chicken or ground turkey I recommend the use of no leaner than 93% in order that the meatballs aren’t too dry.
Make them gluten loose. Simply use gluten free breadcrumbs or 2-3 tablespoons coconut flour to lend a hand bind them together.
Use frozen mango. Just remember to thaw it first prior to including it to the recipe.
Choose your veggies. Feel free to make use of any veggies you have readily available! I think this recipe can be scrumptious with broccoli, edamame, snap peas and even spinach.

mango coconut sauce in a blender

How to prepare dinner meatballs in sauce

We can’t deny the true megastar of this recipe: SWEET MANGO COCONUT SAUCE. After I spotted a juicy, ripe mango on my counter, I knew what was once about to move down: a sweet and savory mango coconut sauce for the meatballs to simmer in. Here’s the right way to cook dinner these cilantro chicken meatballs in the sauce:

Brown your meatballs. Start by means of browning the meatballs in a pan with oil. No want to cook them right through.
Add the sauce. You’ll then upload the mango coconut sauce on top and cover the pan with a lid.
Simmer & serve. Lastly, you’ll simmer the meatballs for approximately 20 minutes in the sauce, upload your veggies and simmer for a few mins more. That’s it!

cilantro chicken meatballs in a skillet with mango coconut sauce

Make the meatballs forward of time

These flavorful cilantro chicken meatballs can easily be prepped forward of time!

Mix and form the meatballs as directed in the recipe.
Place them on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper, and then tightly quilt the meatballs with plastic wrap.
Put the meatballs in the refrigerator till you are ready to cook dinner them. You can prep those meatballs as much as one, or even two days ahead of time.
Once ready to prepare dinner, simply follow the recipe as written.

cilantro chicken meatballs in mango coconut sauce on both a skillet and plate with rice

Our favorite techniques to serve those cilantro chicken meatballs

While the meatballs & veggies are scrumptious on their very own, they’re even more wonderful with a grain or noodle to soak up that scrumptious sauce. Here’s what we advise:

cilantro chicken meatballs with mango coconut sauce with rice on a plate

Two superb tactics to freeze meatballs

Cook first, then freeze: merely place your meatballs and mango coconut sauce in a freezer-safe, airtight container or bag and freeze it all for as much as Three months. When you’re ready to experience, let your container of meatballs + sauce thaw in the fridge for a couple of hours or in a single day, after which empty the contents into a pan at the stovetop. Heat them in your pan until they’re great and heat, and then serve!
Freeze prior to cooking: you'll be able to also freeze these meatballs earlier than cooking them! Form your meatballs as recommended, position them on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This is known as a flash freeze. Then, transfer your frozen meatballs to an hermetic, freezer-friendly bag or container and position in the freezer for as much as 3 months. To thaw them, merely place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or in a single day after which prepare dinner them in the mango coconut sauce as directed in the recipe.

cilantro chicken meatballs with mango coconut sauce on a plate with a fork

More healthy one pan meals to try

Get all of our scrumptious one pan meals here!

If you're making these cilantro chicken meatballs, remember to depart a remark beneath and charge the recipe underneath! You too can snap and film and submit it on Instagram the use of the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. xo!

Cilantro Chicken Meatballs in Mango Coconut Sauce

4.81 from 56 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 mins

Delicious cilantro chicken meatballs cooked in a flavorful mango coconut sauce. This improbable one pan meal is sweet, savory, and filled with protein and veggies for the easiest weeknight dinner!

For the meatballs:
1 pound 93% lean ground chicken (or lean flooring turkey)
1 egg
½ cup panko breadcrumbs (or if GF sub 2-3 tablespoons coconut flour)
1/3 cup finely diced cilantro
1/4 cup finely diced crimson onion
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
½ teaspoon flooring cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (can also use avocado oil or coconut oil)
For the coconut mango sauce:
1 (15 ounce) can gentle coconut milk
1 ½ cup diced mango (can use frozen, just you should definitely thaw it first)
2 tablespoons gluten loose soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
Add-ins:
1 purple bell pepper, julienned
3/4 cup frozen peas (or edamame)
To garnish:
Chopped honey roasted peanuts
Diced green onion
Fresh cilantro
Hot sauce, if desired

First, make your mango coconut sauce. Add coconut milk, diced mango, and soy sauce to a blender and blend till clean. Set aside.
Next, shape your meatballs. In a large bowl, upload the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, cilantro, pink onion, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper. Use clean arms to combine and form into Sixteen golf ball sized meatballs.
Place a big deep skillet over medium-high heat and upload in sesame oil. Add the meatballs and brown on each side, about 5-6 mins total. You might wish to do that in batches, relying on how many meatballs you'll be able to have compatibility in your skillet with out overcrowding them.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add your mango coconut sauce to the pan with the meatballs. Cover the pan, reduce warmth to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove lid and gently stir in the peas and red bell pepper. Simmer for 5 extra mins uncovered.
Serve with brown rice, quinoa or with spiralized zucchini or sweet potato. There will probably be quite a lot of sauce, which makes it scrumptious! Garnish with chopped honey-roasted peanuts, scallions, cilantro, and most sensible with hot sauce if desired. Serves 4