Easy Healthy Orange Chicken Meatballs

These easy healthy orange chicken meatballs are quick and simple to make, high protein, and so delicious. Serve them with plenty of rice, noodles, or whatever sides you love!

My turkey meatballs with pineapple teriyaki sauce recipe is one of my all time favorites, so I’ve been experimenting with more ideas!

You guys are going to love these orange chicken meatballs. The fresh orange juice sauce is so fresh, yet these are still so savory and filling.

Meatballs are also a nice option when I don’t wanna deal with raw meat or poultry. The ground chicken is already ready to go, and I use a cookie scoop to form the meatballs. Easy peasy.

Here’s everything I use and how I make them!

What You’ll Need

• Ground chicken: Try to find a high quality ground chicken. It really makes a difference. I love this extra lean ground chicken from Sprouts.
• Olive oil: Adds moisture since the chicken is so lean.
• Large egg: Helps bind the meatballs.
• Plain bread crumbs: Also helps bind the meatballs.
• Soy sauce: I use reduced sodium.
• Salt and pepper: To season the meat.
• Garlic: Fresh or jarred.
• Ginger: I use fresh, but a paste would work as well.
• Green onion
• Oranges: About 3 large ones, to get 1/2 cup orange juice. You’ll also need the zest from 1 of the oranges.
• Honey
• Corn starch: To thicken the sauce.
• Red pepper flakes: Optional, if you like a little spice.
• Rice or noodles: To serve.

How To Make Them

1. Preheat oven and prep pan: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grab a half baking sheet, line with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Make the meatballs: In a mixing bowl, add ground chicken, olive oil, egg, bread crumbs, soy sauce, salt and pepper, garlic, ginger, green onion, and some orange zest. Mix everything together until evenly combined.
3. Form meatballs: Using a cookie scoop (or a spoon – you’ll just have to be a little more hands-on), form the meat mixture into 20 equal meatballs, placing on the parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake: Bake the meatballs for 13-15 minutes, until the tops start to become slightly golden brown.
5. Make the sauce: While meatballs are baking, mix together fresh orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and garlic. Add a few red pepper flakes if you like spice. Make the cornstarch slurry by mixing corn starch and cold water in a separate cup. Heat a frying pan on medium high heat and add the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, stir for just a minute, then add the cornstarch slurry to thicken, stirring for 30 more seconds. Once thick, remove from heat.
6. Add sauce to meatballs: Add meatballs to the warm sauce, gently stirring to coat all the meatballs. Top with sesame seeds or more green onions if desired and serve with rice or noodles!

To Store

Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Similar Recipes

• Turkey meatballs with pineapple teriyaki sauce
• Easy crockpot honey garlic chicken
• 20 minute pineapple chicken stir fry

I hope you guys love these easy healthy orange chicken meatballs as much as we do! And of course, be sure to leave a comment and review if you try them out 🧡

Easy Healthy Orange Chicken Meatballs

5 from 1 vote

These easy healthy orange chicken meatballs are quick and simple to make, high protein, and so delicious. Serve with rice or noodles!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 4

Calories: 242kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs

• 1 lb extra lean ground chicken (16 oz)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (7 g)
• 1 oz plain dry bread crumbs (28 g)
• 1/2 tsp each: salt and pepper
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp ginger minced
• 1/2 tbsp orange zest
• 1/4 cup green onions (18 g) chopped

Orange Sauce

• 1/2 cup orange juice (124 g) about 3 oranges, juiced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (30 g)
• 1/2 tbsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp honey (21 g)
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp ginger minced
• pinch red pepper flakes optional
• 1 tbsp corn starch (8 g)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together all chicken meatball ingredients and stir until just combined. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form into 20 equal meatballs. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until tops are slightly golden brown.
• While meatballs are baking, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl or glass measuring cup (except corn starch). In a separate cup, mix corn starch and 1 1/2 tbsp of cold water. Simmer sauce in a frying pan for just a minute, then add corn starch slurry to thicken, stirring for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat.
• Add cooked meatballs to the warm sauce, gently stirring to combine. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired, and enjoy with rice or noodles!

Nutrition

Serving: 5meatballs | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.1g | Protein: 32.5g | Fat: 6.1g | Fiber: 0.7g

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