Curry Chicken Meatball Bowls: Tender curry chicken meatballs, coconut jasmine rice, curry ginger sauce and mango salsa.
Four simple recipes in one - makes for an amazing bowl and perfect for meal prep!
How to make curry chicken meatballs
Featured Ingredients
For the coconut rice:
- Stock or water: I use chicken or vegetable stock to up the flavor of the rice, but water works well, too.
- Coconut Milk: The full fat canned kind. Shake it up before taking the lid off.
- Jasmine Rice: White or brown (brown takes longer to cook then white, just a fyi).
For the curry meatballs:
- Ground chicken: A pound of ground chicken makes the base of these meatballs.
- Egg and panko: To hold everything together (also known as binders).
- Green onion: Mince them up and add them to the meatball mixture.
- Curry powder: That beautiful bright yellow stuff!
- Garlic powder: Or minced garlic.
- Cayenne: For a little heat.
For the curry sauce:
- Ginger: A fresh knob of ginger, peeled and minced.
- Coconut milk: Again, the full fat canned kind.
- Curry paste: Red or green will work perfectly.
- Soy sauce: For a little umami.
- Honey: To balance and add sweetness.
For the mango salsa:
- Mango: A few fresh mangos, peeled and diced
- Cilantro: To add herbiness and that classic fresh cilantro flavor.
- Lime: For brightness, citrus flavor and acid.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To make the coconut rice:
- Pour the water or stock, coconut milk, rice and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has absorbed and rice is al dente.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
To make the curry meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack and coat with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the meatball ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Form into 2-inch meatballs and line on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart. Bake 12-15 minutes or until just set.
To make the curry sauce:
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil to medium-low heat. Add the ginger and sauté 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce and honey and bring to a simmer. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if necessary.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer about 5 minutes.
To make the mango salsa:
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the mango, cilantro, lime and salt.
To assemble the meatballs bowls:
- Assemble bowls with rice, meatballs, sauce and mango salsa. Serve.
Recipe Subtitutions and Alterations
- For the rice: Use white or brown Jasmine rice. Use stock or water to cook it in.
- For the meatballs: Try with your favorite ground meat (turkey, beef, pork). Use freshly minced garlic instead of garlic powder.
- If using a lean meat, like chicken or turkey, add a dab of Dijon mustard for moisture and flavor.
- For the curry sauce: Any curry paste will work. Saute half an onion in with the sauce for extra flavor.
- For the mango salsa: Omit the cilantro if you don't like it. Add a bit of minced jalapeno for some additional heat, if you wish.
Nutrition Considerations
- To make these gluten free: Use gluten free panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs.
- Be sure all other packaged ingredients are gluten free (like the curry paste).
- To make these dairy free: This recipe is dairy free.
- To make these nut free: This recipe is nut free. Be sure all packaged ingredients are nut free (like the curry paste).
- To make these egg free: Try an egg replacer like Bob's Red Mill brand or make a flax 'egg' using 2 tablespoons of water mixed with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed. Refrigerate 15 minutes, and that replaces 1 egg. (Note: I haven't tested either of these substitutions.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Store the rice, meatballs and curry sauce together in microwave-safe reusable airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Reheat the bowls 1-2 minutes or until the meatballs and rice are heated through.
- Store the mango salsa in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Spoon the mango salsa over the rice and meatballs once they are reheated. Serve immediately.
Curry recipes you'll dig:
- Peanut Butter Chicken Curry
- Curry Cauliflower Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Lentil Curry
- Chickpea and Spinach Curry
- Curry Chicken Salad
Curry Chicken Meatballs
Curry chicken meatballs in a curry ginger sauce served with coconut Jasmine rice and mango salsa.
- Prep Time: 10-15 mins
- Cook Time: 25-30 mins
- Total Time: 35-45 mins
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking, Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Ingredients
Coconut Rice:
- 2 cups water or unsalted chicken stock
- ½ 15-ounce can full fat canned coconut milk
- 1 cup Jasmine rice
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Curry Meatballs:
- 1-pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Curry Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- ½ (15-ounce) can full fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon red or green curry paste
- 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey
Mango Salsa:
- 1 medium mango, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 medium lime
- Pinch coarse salt
Instructions
To make the coconut rice:
- Pour the water or stock, coconut milk, rice and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has absorbed and rice is al dente. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To make the curry meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack and coat with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the meatball ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Form into 2-inch meatballs and line on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart. Bake 12-15 minutes or until just set.
To make the curry sauce:
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil to medium-low heat. Add the ginger and sauté 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce and honey and bring to a simmer. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if necessary.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer about 5 minutes.
To make the mango salsa:
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the mango, cilantro, lime and salt.
To assemble the bowls:
- Assemble bowls with rice, meatballs, sauce and mango salsa. Serve.
Notes
Subtitution Tip: Try with ground turkey, pork or beef instead of ground chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of recipe
- Calories: 447
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 470mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 88mg
Tiffany Cassell says
This dish is fabulous! Honestly heavenly divine. A++ thank you!!
Julie Andrews says
Ahh, I'm so happy to hear that, Tiffany! Hopefully it becomes a regular on your menu. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Excellent! Takes a bit longer than I like to spend on a recipe, but 110% worth it. Bursting with flavor!
Julie Andrews says
Yay, we love these curry meatball bowls, too! Because there are 3 recipes in one, it is definitely one of those that takes a little extra prep, but like you said - it's worth it!! Enjoy!