Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

from 16 votes

Get dinner on the table in 25 minutes or less with a family-friendly recipe for extra-moist Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs tossed in a simple homemade teriyaki sauce.

A dinner bowl containing baked chicken teriyaki meatballs on top of white rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

What’s not to love about a good ol’ culinary classic like teriyaki glazed chicken? Swap in baked chicken meatballs for seared chicken breast and you’ve got a 30-minute meal suitable for all ages.

You may be wondering how chicken meatballs can possibly be moist or have any flavor. Allow me to introduce you to my secret weapon: crushed pineapple.

The fruit itself stars in the meatball mixture, while the drained juices are stirred into the homemade teriyaki sauce. A total takeout fakeout.

My other secret weapon for extra-juicy meatballs? A mini muffin pan! All of the juices released as the meatballs cook get soaked back into them.

No mini muffin pan? No problem! Simply coat a baking dish with cooking spray, arrange the meatballs in rows and fire up the oven.

Best of all, these meatballs are baked at a high temp so they’re ready for tossing in minutes, and that means dinner is on your table in 25 minutes or less. Make it a rice bowl with teriyaki chicken or serve over noodles (I highly recommend following the recipe for the noodles in my Chicken Lo Mein, which is super-simple and packed with veggies) and dinner is done!

In search of more homemade takeout recipes? Find inspiration for a takeout-fakeout feast with my go-to recipes, including Easy Beef and Broccoli, Sesame Chicken Egg Rolls and Sticky Pineapple Chicken.

Key Ingredients

Small glass bowls containing ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, minced garlic, soy sauce, crushed pineapple, brown sugar and milk. Two scallions sit beside the bowls.
  • Milk: Used to add moisture to the meatballs and keep them tender.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: These breadcrumbs serve as a binding agent for the meatballs, helping to hold them together and provide a slightly crunchy texture. If needed, you can swap in other unseasoned breadcrumbs.
  • Ground chicken: Ground chicken is lean, but protein-packed and makes these healthy chicken meatballs! You could easily use ground turkey instead.
  • Minced garlic, ginger and scallions: These are your flavor-packed aromatics. You’ll want to mince them well, so they’re evenly distributed amongst the ground chicken meatballs and in the sauce.
  • Low-sodium soy sauce: Plays a dual role in this recipe—it’s a key ingredient in both the savory meatballs and the homemade teriyaki sauce. Similar to my honey garlic chicken recipe, opting for low-sodium soy sauce is crucial to strike the right balance of flavors without the risk of ending up with a dish that’s overly salty.
  • Canned pineapple: Canned, crushed pineapple will also do double duty in this recipe! The fruit’s sweetness nicely compliments the savoriness of the meatballs and the juice balances the pineapple-infused teriyaki sauce’s saltiness. These are sweet and savory chicken meatballs at their finest.
  • Brown sugar: This is your primary sweetener for your DIY teriyaki sauce. Either light or dark brown sugar will work.
  • Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent for the sauce. Substitute cornstarch with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

  1. Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 500ºF and spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. Make the meatballs. In a small bowl, combine the milk and panko and let sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, pineapple, pepper and soaked breadcrumbs. Use your hands to combine everything.
  3. Shape the meatballs. Form the meatballs into 24 pieces, using 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture per meatball. Place the meatballs into the muffin tin wells.
Unbaked chicken meatballs in a greased mini muffin tin.
  1. Bake. Bake the meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes.
  2. Make the teriyaki sauce. In a saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, garlic and ginger until the sugar’s dissolved. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, then whisk into the sauce and simmer until the sauce has thickened and is syrupy.
  3. Coat the meatballs. Add the meatballs to a large bowl, pour the sauce over them and toss to thoroughly coat.
Baked chicken meatballs in a large glass mixing bowl with teriyaki sauce poured on top of them.

Pro Tip: If the meatballs feel far too sticky when you’re shaping them, try wetting your hands.

How to Make Ahead of Time

  • Make and bake the meatballs. Mix and bake the meatballs according to the recipe instructions, then let cool completely. 
  • Make the sauce. Make the teriyaki sauce and let cool completely, too.
  • Store the meatballs and sauce separately. You can stash the meatballs and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat. When ready to reheat both, place the meatballs in a 350ºF oven until warmed through and heat the sauce in a saucepan. Toss the meatballs with the sauce and serve.

Kelly’s Recipe Tips

  • Save the Juice: After draining the crushed pineapple, use the resulting juice in the sauce recipe.
  • Don’t Fear the Moisture: The meatball mixture will be very wet while you are shaping it into balls, however, the added liquid from the milk and crushed pineapple helps guarantee the meatballs will be very moist.
  • Use Your Hands: Your hands are your best mixing tool! Just make sure they’re clean before diving in. It can help to hold your hand in the shape of a claw to easily and thoroughly mix the meatball mixture.

How to Store and Freeze

Leftover meatballs will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze the meatballs and the sauce separately for up to 2 months. For the meatballs, I recommend placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freezing them individually, and then transferring them to a zip-top freezer bag. Meanwhile, store the sauce in an airtight container and thaw it in the fridge overnight before use. When reheating the meatballs, I suggest using the oven at a low temperature (325ºF) directly from frozen for the best results.

Serving Suggestions

These meatballs go exceptionally well with the following: 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my chicken meatballs tough? 

Chicken is a lean meat, so chicken meatballs need a lot of moisture to keep them from being tough. My recipe uses soaked breadcrumbs, soy sauce and crushed pineapple to avoid dry meatballs.

How do you keep chicken meatballs from falling apart? 

Using breadcrumbs can help to bind chicken meatballs together, keeping them from falling apart. Baking them in a mini muffin pan also helps the meatballs to hold their shape until they’re fully cooked.

Can meatballs be made out of chicken? 

Yes, you can make meatballs out of chicken. Ground chicken is very lean (in comparison to beef or pork), so it’s a healthier option.

A bowl with white rice and chicken teriyaki meatballs with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

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Appetizer

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

Get dinner on the table in 25 minutes or less with this recipe for extra-moist Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs tossed in a homemade teriyaki sauce.
Author: Kelly Senyei
4.75 from 16 votes
Baked Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs over white rice in large bowl
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 meatballs

Ingredients 

For the meatballs:

  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 2 Tablespoons minced scallions
  • 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup crushed pineapple (juices drained)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce:

  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon water

Instructions 

Make the meatballs:

  • Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Spray a mini-muffin pan or baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the milk and Panko breadcrumbs and let sit for 5 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, crushed pineapple, pepper and soaked breadcrumbs. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the meat mixture and then shape it into balls using 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.
  • Place the shaped meatballs into the prepared pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked. While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce.

Make the sauce:

  • In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the soy sauce, water, pineapple juice, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved fully.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the sauce and simmer until it has thickened to the consistency of syrup, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer them into a large bowl. Pour the sauce on top and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Kelly’s Notes

  • After draining the crushed pineapple, use the resulting juice in the sauce recipe.
  • The meatball mixture will be very wet while you are shaping it into balls, however, the added liquid from the milk and crushed pineapple helps guarantee the meatballs will be very moist.
  • Your hands are your best mixing tool! Just make sure they’re clean before diving in. It can help to hold your hand in the shape of a claw to easily and thoroughly mix the meatball mixture.
  • ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 186mg, Potassium: 176mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 11IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg

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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not republish this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.


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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Delicious , my family were all very impressed with this meal despite being picky eaters.

      1. Hi Christina – It’s hard to say what could have caused your meatballs to be soft. Did you follow the proportions as listed?

  2. 5 stars
    I was going to have these for dinner over rice. I never tried the recipe before. I like to follow recipes exactly and tweek the next time if I need to. We had company unexpectedly show up so I put them in a bowl with the sauce on the side. Everyone loved them. They were all gone in a short amount of time. My husband still talks about them. The recipe needs no tweeking:) They are delicious!

  3. 5 stars
    These are the best. I make them often and with sticky rice and never tire of them. Also make a great appetizer to take to company!

    1. 5 stars
      These meatballs were amazing! Using a mini muffin tin was an excellent idea causing a nice crusty exterior and juicy flavourful interior. So yummy served over cauliflower rice with mushrooms. Will definitely make these meatballs often.
      Thanks, Kathryn

  4. Hi! I was just wondering if these could be done in an air fryer. If so, what temp and for how long?

    1. Hi Cheri! I’ve never used an air fryer to bake these meatballs so I can’t weigh in on the time or temp. Let me know if you give it a shot!

    2. I just made the meatballs and cooked them in my air fryer. They came out perfect. I cooked them at 350 for about 15 minutes.

  5. 5 stars
    My family loves this recipe. It’s part of my regular dinner rotation. We had them for dinner tonight. YUM!!

    1. Hi Margot – It’s hard to say what could have caused your meatballs to be soft. Did you follow the proportions as listed?

  6. 5 stars
    These were great. The only change I made was to 1.25X the sauce recipe to have a little extra to put over the rice. My picky daughter also loved them. Leftovers reheated well the next day for lunch.

  7. 5 stars
    Tasted d-lish. Even my picky daughter went back for seconds (LOL). My sauce didn’t get thick though. Should I have brought it to a boil or maybe add more cornstarch? Either way, it really didn’t matter, everyone loved them.

    1. Made these for dinner tonight, served over a brown rice and quinoa mixture. It was delicious! The meatballs were a great texture!

  8. 5 stars
    Thank you for such a great recipe. I have been struggling to find a lunch my children would eat at school and finally found something they actually will eat. Thanks!

  9. OMG this is a absolutely delicious recipe. I doubled the sauce just because we love extra but no need really. I served with jasmine rice. Next time I’ll do a side dish of broccoli, snow peas and julienned carrots to add color. Watch the time on these and don’t overcook. I cooked mine too long and they were still out of this world delicious! Thank you Kelly

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