I know what you’re thinking…. why would I ever make a hot curry in the summer? I normally would agree with you! Unless of course you live in the Philadelphia area, where it has decided to rain/thunderstorm every single night the past two weeks. Thunderstorms call for comfort food, and this Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry really hits the spot.
Healthy enough for a weeknight dinner, Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry features the usual Thai-inspired aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and coconut milk. I also throw in a jalapeño for heat, and fresh-squeezed lime juice for brightness. I absolutely love loading in all the spinach as the recipe calls for, and occasionally some broccoli or zucchini for extra veggie content. The meatballs make this curry feel more fun, plus the meatballs themselves are loaded with flavor as well!
I serve Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry over steamed rice or rice noodles for a complete meal, but I’m sure it would be delicious over other things such as cauliflower rice or mashed sweet potato. Get creative and don’t forget to load on that sauce!
I absolutely love seeing what recipes you all are making, and there’s nothing better than getting a tag on Instagram (@theardentcook) with a photo of a finished dish from a reader. I can’t wait to see how your photos of this curry turn out! Enjoy!
Ingredients needed to make Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry
Many of the ingredients required to make Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry are fresh from the fridge, as follows:
-Ground chicken
-Jalapeno pepper
-Garlic
-Ginger
-Cilantro
-Baby spinach
-Fresh lime juice
In addition to those fresh ingredients, you’ll need a few items from your pantry to bring everything together. One of my favorite parts of this dish is the silky sauce, which can be entirely attributed to the use of coconut milk. I only use full-fat coconut milk, and it’s beyond worth it. In fact, I use it so frequently for sauces that I typically order it in bulk.
Everything else you’ll need to make Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry probably already lives in your pantry, but I’ll give you a list just in case you need to stock up:
-Chicken broth
-Salt and pepper
Tools used to make Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry
One of the reasons I love this recipe is because the tools required to make it are so minimal. All you really need is a good chef’s knife to mince all of your aromatics, a cutting board, a large mixing bowl, measuring utensils, and a cooking vessel. I prefer to make this recipe in my favorite-ever Dutch oven, but a soup pot or large, deep skillet could work in a pinch.
It’s one pot for easy clean up, and the mess you make while completing the prep work is extremely limited. What could be better?
How to make Aromatic Chicken Meatball Curry
This recipe has a few key steps. The first step involves properly mincing and chopping all of the aromatics (ginger, garlic, and jalapeño). This step is extremely important, otherwise you’ll end up with huge chunks of ginger and garlic in your meatballs, which can be a bit alarming. If you’re new to mincing and don’t have trustworthy knife skills yet, don’t fret. All you need to do is take your time and really focus on breaking the garlic, ginger, and jalapeño down to very fine pieces. No biggie, just be thorough!
Next, you’ll need to form your meatballs and brown them off in your Dutch oven. This step is pretty low pressure, as it doesn’t matter if the meatballs are completely cooked-through while browning. They will finish cooking in the sauce later on, so just keep your attention on getting a nice color on the outsides. Browning= flavor.
The final step is creating the delicious sauce, which basically involves just dumping the remaining ingredients into the pot and allowing the meatballs to finish cooking. Super simple, and it will create the most wonderful smell in your kitchen. Pretty exciting, huh?
Looking for other comforting weeknight dinner ideas?
Check out these other recipes for delicious and comforting meals that can easily be made on a busy weeknight!
Pulled Buffalo Chicken Bowls with Blue Cheese Celery Slaw
Cheesy Corn and Poblano Casserole
Grilled Chicken, Asparagus, and Brie Ciabattas with Garlic Aioli
Recipe Ingredients
2lbs ground chicken
1 jalapeno, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 4-inch piece ginger, minced
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
3 cups baby spinach
1 14oz can full-fat coconut milk
3 tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp honey
Juice of ½ lime
Salt and pepper, to taste
Steamed rice, for serving
Recipe Instructions
- Finely mince the jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Add half to a large mixing bowl and set the rest aside.
- To the large mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, and a few cracks of salt and pepper. Mix and form into several 1 ½ inch meatballs.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the meatballs until they are evenly browned. They may not be fully cooked through before browning occurs, which is okay. They will finish cooking in the broth.
- Once all the meatballs are cooked, set them aside and lower the heat. Add the remaining half of the minced ginger mixture and saute until lightly browned and fragrant, about a minute. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, honey, and remaining 1 tbsp of soy sauce.
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat and allow it to simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the meatballs back in and cook the soup for another 5-7 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Stir in the spinach and lime juice, and taste for salt and pepper. Season accordingly.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice, or store in an airtight container for an easy meal prep throughout the week. Enjoy!
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