Name: Honey Orange Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 LB Minced Chicken; 2 teaspoon Garlic Salt; ¼ cup Chopped Onion; ⅓ cup Cornstarch; 1 teaspoon Ground Pepper; - - Salt to taste; 1 Tablespoon Chopped fresh cilantro; 1 Tablespoon Oil to cook the meatballs; 3 Tablespoons Tabasco sauce ((adjust according to taste)); ⅓ cup Store-bought barbecue sauce; ½ cup Brown sugar; 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar; 2 Tablespoons Soy sauce (light); ¼ teaspoon Ginger powder; ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder; 1½ teaspoon Fresh orange zest; 2 Tablespoons Honey

Jump to Recipe Jump to Tips

an Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs

Are you looking for a delicious addition to your next party? Then these Pan Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs is your thing.

These meatballs are smothered in a homemade honey orange firecracker sauce and pan-cooked to perfection!

Tis the season for family get-togethers and holiday parties and it looks like everyone is brainstorming about all the delicious appetizers and food they are going to serve to their guests.

Allow me to take that one load off your next gathering with these easy-to-make and delicious Pan cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs.

These bite-sized meatballs have all the great flavors you need in an appetizer. They are soft, juicy, and have just the right balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

It’s THE ultimate finger-food that will make your guests come back for seconds!

Trust me, no can resist a meatball on a toothpick!

Pan Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs -Ruchiskitchen

How to cook Pan Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs?

This meatball recipe is super easy to make and takes only 25 minutes from start to finish. It involves two steps-

making meatballs and
preparing the firecracker sauce.

1. In a large bowl, combine minced chicken, garlic salt, chopped onions, cornstarch, cilantro, salt, and pepper.

2. Mix until it comes together like a dough. If you prefer, do a small taste test. Cook a small piece of the mixture and taste. Correct the seasoning level, if needed.

3. Roll the mixture into 2-inch meatballs (appx. 2.5 tablespoons of mixture per meatball).

4. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Evenly space the meatballs on the pan. Cook on a medium-hot flame for 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook the meatballs as they will become dry and chewy.

5. While the meatballs are cooking, combine all the ingredients listed under ‘honey orange firecracker sauce’ in a glass bowl.

6. Whisk until blended. Set it aside.

7. Once the meatballs are cooked through, pour the sauce over the meatballs.

8. Toss the meatballs in this sauce and cook until the sauce reduces in volume and the meatballs are fully coated in it.

9. Take it off the flame, garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot.

Honey Orange Firecracker Sauce is the game changer!

It’s the fantastic combination of orange + honey + rice vinegar + orange zest and Tabasco Sauce.

Honey orange adds a touch of sweetness, and Tabasco adds the perfect spice level and bold flavor to this dish without overpowering.

Altogether, a complete balance of heat and flavor. Toss the cooked/baked meatballs in this sauce and cook until the sauce reduces in volume and the meatballs are fully coated in it.

Take it off the flame, garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot.

You are going to love Pan Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs meatballs as they are –

easy to put together
flavorful
addicting
saucy
sweet yet spicy
portable – easy to transport
and can be easily doubled to feed a large gathering!

A tasty finger-food that will satisfy many hungry bellies. At parties, I often double the recipe because they disappear off the plate quickly.

Cooking Tips and Faq’s related to the Pan Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs!

Cooking tips

Meatballs – These chicken meatballs are gluten-free as I have used cornstarch to bind them. If you are not a cornstarch lover, substitute cornstarch with oats flour, any gluten-free flour, or chickpea flour.

Seasonings – To bring out the flavor, these meatballs are seasoned with chopped onions, fresh cilantro, garlic salt, and black pepper. But feel free to add or subtract ingredients to your liking.

For tender meatballs – do not overwork the meat. Simply, mix the meat mixture with hands until combined.

Size- These meatballs aren’t big in size. Each meatball uses about 2.5 tablespoons of mixture to form a meatball, but feel free to shape them any size you want.

Faq’s

Can you bake these meatballs? Absolutely! Line these meatballs on a greased baking tray. Preheat the oven @350 degrees F and bake for 18-20 minutes or until brown.

Do not overbake as the chicken will dry out resulting in hard, chewy and rubbery meatballs.

Can you make Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs in advance? Of course, you can!

You can make these meatballs ahead of time before your guests arrive. Combine all the ingredients and shape into balls.

Cook for 10-15 minutes until brown.

Take it off the flame and let it sit covered in the pan. Just before serving, toss the meatballs in the sauce and serve hot.

Can you double this recipe? Yes, totally! This recipe makes 26 meatballs, but you can scale the ingredients up or down to meet your requirements.

What to serve alongside these meatballs? These Honey Orange chicken meatballs taste great on its own, but you serve them as a side along with-

Any kind of rice dish. If I have to pair these meatballs with a rice dish, then that is Instant Pot fiesta rice.
Baked potatoes work great too.

Can you freeze Pan Cooked Honey Orange Chicken Meatballs?

Yes, you sure can!

Having meatballs in the freezer makes life so much easier. Simply remove from the freeze, thaw, cook and toss in the sauce of your liking.

To freeze uncooked meatballs – Arrange the shaped meatballs on a plate and freeze. Once it becomes firm (after 2-3 hours), remove from the plate and transfer the meatballs to a plastic bag and freeze.

These will stay good for up to a month. When ready to serve, thaw meatballs in the refrigerator overnight. Heat oil in a pan and cook as directed or bake. Toss in the sauce and enjoy!

To freeze cooked meatballs – Pan cook the meatballs and allow them to cool completely. Transfer the meatballs to a plastic bag and freeze.