Korean Chicken Meatballs in Honey-Soy Sauce Recipe
Small, juicy chicken meatballs in a sticky, glossy honey-soy sauce with a hint of garlic and sesame. The flavor is like a cross between Polish meatballs and an Asian wing glaze, but lighter and less fatty. In Korea, similar dishes often appear at family gatherings and in kids’ lunchboxes because they’re easy to eat and taste great both warm and cold.
These meatballs combine familiar comfort-food texture with a Korean-inspired sweet-salty glaze, making them appealing to both children and adults. They’re easy to batch-cook, reheat well, and work equally well as a weekday dinner or party snack.
Chef's tips
For the best texture, don’t overcook the meatballs—take them off the heat as soon as they’re just cooked through. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon of water. Taste the sauce before adding the meatballs and adjust with a bit more honey or vinegar to balance sweetness and acidity.
How to serve
Serve over steamed jasmine or basmati rice with lightly pickled cucumbers or kimchi on the side. They also pair well with stir-fried vegetables or in a bento-style lunchbox with rice, salad, and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
- ground chicken - 500 g
- onion - 0.5 piece
- garlic - 3 clove
- breadcrumbs - 3 tablespoon
- egg - 1 piece
- salt - 0.5 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoon
- soy sauce - 4 tablespoon
- honey - 2.5 tablespoon
- rice vinegar - 1.5 tablespoon
- water - 80 ml
- potato starch - 1 tablespoon
- sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon
- chives - 10 g
Preparation
- Finely chop the onion. Finely mince one clove of garlic and set the remaining two aside for the sauce.
- In a bowl, mix the ground chicken, chopped onion, minced garlic clove, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Knead with your hand for a few minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and uniform.
- With wet hands, form small meatballs from the mixture, about the size of a walnut, moistening your hands with water so the meat doesn’t stick.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer and fry for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through. Transfer them to a plate.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, water, and potato starch until there are no lumps. Finely chop the remaining two cloves of garlic.
- In the same pan where you fried the meatballs, pour off any excess fat, leaving a thin layer. Add the chopped garlic and fry over low heat for 20–30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the prepared sauce, stirring constantly. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes slightly sticky.
- Return the meatballs to the pan and gently coat them in the sauce so each one is evenly covered. Cook for another 1–2 minutes so the meatballs heat through well.
- Before serving, sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds and chopped chives.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This recipe is a great way to introduce Korean-inspired flavors to people who prefer milder dishes. The meatballs are soft, not greasy, and the sauce clings beautifully, so they’re perfect for lunchboxes and casual gatherings.
