Chicken Meatballs
in Vegetable Coconut Curry
They say we eat with our eyes first — and when I look at this curry, I immediately want to grab a fork.
Making a curry is truly a labor of love, but here’s the good news: it doesn’t take all day. With a bit of organization and fresh ingredients, this easy curry recipe comes together quickly — and the flavor payoff is huge.
Like I always say, the secret is in the prep. Set out all your ingredients before you start. Chop what needs chopping, measure your spices, and you’ll breeze right through the recipe.
Yes, the ingredient list might look a little long, but don’t let that scare you. Once everything is ready to go, it’s so simple. Promise.
Start by mixing up your juicy, flavorful meatballs, then wash your hands and move on to the creamy coconut curry sauce. With a good-quality curry powder and a splash of coconut milk, the sauce practically makes itself.
While the curry simmers and fills your kitchen with the most amazing aroma, get your jasmine rice cooking on the side. Multi-tasking for the win! 🍚
Helpful tips for making this recipe.
- Find a high quality curry powder spice blend. Fresh is always best…many of the store bought spices have been hanging around for a long period of time.
- Don’t cook the veggies; zucchini, red bell peppers and carrots for too long – they are best with a crunch to them.
- Use unsweetened coconut milk without anything else in it. I love this brand.
- Keep the meatballs and the curry sauce seperate from each other. Allow your guests or family to make their own bowl. They also store longer when they are kept seperate from each other.
- Airfry or broil the chicken meatballs – high heat cooks them quickly and gives them a nice browning.
My favorite kitchen tools I used in this recipe
Lets talk about building a meatball.
Meatball consistancy, texture, how it holds together and size seem to be all personal preference. Here is what I like to focus on.
- Not a lot of bread, panko or bread crumbs – let the meat be the main ingredients
- Flavor. flavor. flavor. I want to taste something when I bite into the meatball.
- Stays together but isn’t a rock.
- Has color and different textures within the meatball.
- Is browned on the outside.
- 2 tablespoons is the sweet spot for size.
With all this being said, how you build a meatball equals how it will taste. For chicken meatballs I like using panko, egg, a milk product, and olive oil.
Ground chicken doesn’t have much flavor. Bringing in some salt, flavors from the sauce like garlic, ginger and curry powder and fresh basil make a real impression with the overall out come of the meatball.
Who knew, I could talk so much about meatballs.
More meatball recipes to make.
Why You’ll Love This Curry
- Full of flavor: A creamy, aromatic curry that’s rich and satisfying.
- Weeknight-friendly: Ready in under an hour.
- Naturally gluten-free & dairy-free: Perfect for all diets.
- Complete meal: Serve with jasmine rice or cauliflower rice.
- Customizable: Add your favorite veggies or protein.
This homemade curry with meatballs is everything a good curry should be — bold, creamy, and full of heart. It’s the kind of cozy meal that feels special but is simple enough for any night of the week.
Trust me, once you’ve made it, you’ll want to keep this one in your regular rotation.
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @whitesparrowfoodco or #whitesparrowfoodco I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe!
Chicken Meatballs in
Vegetable Coconut Curry
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy homemade curry with tender meatballs and jasmine rice is full of bold flavor and simple to make. A cozy, weeknight curry recipe that’s creamy, comforting, and naturally gluten-free!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup gluten free panko
- 1 small/medium shallot, minced or small diced
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced or microplaned
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup (or so) fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, minced or microplaned
- 1 medium to large shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 heaping tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot or tapioca powder (optional for thickening the sauce)
- 1 15 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1/2 cup sliced carrots (see notes)
- 1/2 cup or so fresh basil, roughly chopped or left whole
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (convention bake) or airfry.
- Add all the meatball ingredients into a bowl. Mix together with a fork – let sit for 5-10 minutes if you have time. Using an everyday spoon (one that isn’t a measuring spoon), scoop out equal portions per meatball (this helps them cook at the same time). A good idea is around 2 tablespoons. I like to measure them out and put them on a lightly oiled cooking sheet tray and then go back with lightly oiled hands to shaped them quickly.
- Place in your oven for 6 minutes. Turn them over for another 6 minutes and remove from the oven to cool.
- To start the curry sauce, heat up a large enamel cast iron skillet or pot over medium heat. Add in the olive oi, garlic, ginger and shallots. Saute for 5 minutes or so, until they soften and smell amazing. Add in the curry powder, salt and arrowroot powder. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and bone broth. Stir to combine and bring up to a light simmer. I had to turn my heat down a bit after it was simmering- to low. Add in the red bell pepper, zucchini and carrots. Cook for 4-6 minutes, just until the veggies cook slightly but still have a crunch to them.
- Taste test the sauce – it may need more salt.
- Stir in the basil and serve with jasmine rice and chicken meatballs.
Notes
- I like using already chopped carrots. I found the sliced one with the ripples and then cut them into thin pieces. The texture is nice in this recipe.
- For the meatballs, mix everything with a fork and let stay for 5-10 minutes if you have the time. This will give the panko a chance to absorb some of the moisture so the meatballs stay together better.
- When it comes time to shaping the meatballs, I don’t spend a ton of time making them perfect. It will help to have you hands slightly oiled while forming them.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: chicken
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: dinner
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