Butter Chicken Meatballs

5 from 1 vote

These Butter Chicken Meatballs take all the flavors of classic Butter Chicken and turn them into tender, flavorful meatballs tossed in a rich, creamy curry sauce. Irresistible!

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: butter chicken meatballs

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $11.72

Equipment

2 Large pan (one oven-safe)
Blender

Ingredients

Spices

2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons garam masala
1-1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1-1/2 tablespoons paprika
1-1/2 tablespoons finely minced garlic 4 cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons finely minced ginger 1-inch piece
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup yellow onion grated
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs see note 1
1 large egg
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
Cooking spray
1/4 cup coconut oil measured when solid

Curry

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion 1 very large onion
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
Serving suggestions see note 2

US - Metric

Instructions

Spices: In a small bowl, stir together all spices, garlic, and ginger (You can peel the ginger with a spoon or vegetable peeler and finely mince it).
Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, grated yellow onion (peel and then grate on large holes of a grater, then lightly pack to measure), panko, egg, cilantro. Juice lemon to get 1 tablespoon juice and add. Add 1/2 the spice mix and season meatballs with salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon each). Knead ingredients together until evenly combined. Do not overmix or over-knead. Cover tightly and refrigerate until step 4.
Curry: Meanwhile, from the curry ingredients, heat butter in a large pan; add finely diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 7–9 minutes. Reduce heat if it begins to burn/brown—we’re looking for a golden color. Add sugar and continue to sauté until onions are lightly caramelized, another 3–5 minutes. Add the other half of the spice mix and tomato paste. Stir 2–3 minutes or until very fragrant. Reduce heat if the mixture begins to burn. Add fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and sauté 1 minute. Add heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Stir, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. Simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sauce thickens and is fragrant.
Roll Meatballs: While sauce simmers, preheat oven to 350°F. Add the flour to a bowl and set aside. Line a large plate or sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon with cooking spray to portion the meatballs onto the parchment-lined plate. Once all portions are on the plate, roll each into a ball, then roll them in flour, tapping off excess flour. Batch portioning makes the process much faster!
Sear Meatballs: Heat coconut oil to medium-high in a large oven-safe pan. Add half the meatballs. Sauté 4 minutes, turning with tongs after 2 minutes, until meatballs are browned on the outsides but not cooked through. Discard parchment paper and return meatballs to the plate.
Bake: Repeat with remaining meatballs, adding extra coconut oil if needed. Transfer meatballs to the plate and quickly rinse or wipe out the pan. Spray with cooking spray. Return the rest of the meatballs to the pan, then place it in the oven and bake 7–15 minutes or until meatballs are completely cooked through (160℉). I check the meatballs with an oven thermometer at 5 minutes and every 3 minutes after that. It takes about 12 minutes in my oven.
Finish Sauce: Meanwhile, transfer simmered and thickened sauce to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and return to pan. if desired, stir in chopped cilantro here (I add about 1/3 cup). Once meatballs are cooked through, add them to the sauce and stir to coat.
Serve: Serve saucy meatballs over cooked basmati rice (see note 2) and garnish with additional cilantro leaves (optional). Serve with toasted naan (see note 3). Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb found near other breadcrumbs or in the Asian food aisle.

Note 2: Here are my favorite serving suggestions: cooked basmati rice, toasted naan, and fresh cilantro.

Here’s how I cook basmati rice:

Measure the rice and rinse it in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
Place rinsed rice in a bowl and cover it with water to soak for about 5–10 minutes.
While rice soaks, fill a large pot with water and set to boil.
Once water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
Cook without reducing the heat for 5 minutes (taste and ensure the rice is tender; add another minute if not), then drain and fluff with a fork.

Note 3: Here’s how I toast naan: Spray both sides of the naan with cooking spray and “grill” the naan on the stovetop over the open flame until slightly charred. Alternatively, warm (covered with a damp paper towel) in the microwave.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.

Nutrition