These Oven-Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs are juicy, sticky, and dangerously easy to eat… like "just one more" turns into ten.
If you love quick dinners like Korean beef bulgogi meatballs or Asian turkey meatballs, you're going to be making these on repeat.
A Quick Look At This Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Thai Chicken Meatballs
🕒 Ready In: 27 minutes
👪 Serves: 20 meatballs
🍽 Calories: 57 per meatball
🥣 Main Ingredients: chicken mince, sweet chilli sauce, garlic, ginger, lime
📖 Dietary Info: can be made gluten-free
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Juicy oven-baked meatballs with a sticky sweet chilli glaze - quick, easy and perfect for dinner, snacks or entertaining.
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"So easy to make and super moist - definitely on the 'make again' list!"
- Rose
These oven baked Thai chicken meatballs are one of those recipes that feels a bit fancy… but is secretly SO easy. They're packed with flavour, ready in under 30 minutes, and perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to party snacks. And yes - they disappear very fast (learned that the hard way).
If you're anything like me (busy mum life!), you'll love kid-approved recipes like my bang bang chicken or Korean fried chicken burgers - meals that tick the "easy + delicious" box every single time!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy - ready in under 30 minutes
- Oven baked = less mess (no frying 🙌)
- Juicy and tender every time
- Kid-approved flavour - mild but still tasty
- Perfect for meal prep or lunchboxes
- Great for entertaining - an appetizer that's guaranteed to vanish fast
Jump to:
Chicken Meatballs Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients, but a few are key to getting the best flavour and texture:
- Chicken mince (ground chicken) - Using a mix of breast and thigh gives the juiciest result. Alternatively, you can substitute the chicken mince for ground pork, ground turkey or ground beef.
- Panko breadcrumbs - These keep the meatballs light and tender (regular breadcrumbs work too, but panko is best).
- Sweet chilli sauce - Adds both flavour and moisture, plus that sticky glaze.
- Fresh lime juice - Balances the sweetness and gives that classic Thai flavor.
Variations
- Gluten-Free Option - Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Turkey or Pork Mince Swap - These work just as well if you don't have chicken mince on hand.
- Spicy Version - Add a pinch of chilli flakes or a dash of sriracha to the mix.
- Air Fryer Method - Cook at 200°C for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway.
How To Make Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs
This is one of those "mix, roll, bake" situations (we love that).
Mix everything together, roll into balls, bake until juicy, then brush with that sticky sweet chilli glaze and bake again until glossy and irresistible.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Assemble ingredients: Place chicken mince, breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix: Mix ingredients together with a spoon until just combined - don't overmix.
- Roll into balls - Use wet hands to shape into heaped tablespoon-sized balls.
- Arrange and bake - Place balls into a greased mini muffin tray or a flat baking tray, and bake for 15 minutes.
- Glaze and finish - Brush with extra sweet chilli sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake for another 2 minutes until cooked through.
- Make dipping sauce - Stir together sweet chilli sauce and lime juice. Serve meatballs warm with this dipping sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Don't overmix - keeps them soft and juicy
- Use wet hands when rolling (game changer)
- Mini muffin tray = perfect shape + extra juicy
- Don't skip the glaze - that's where the magic is
- Check they're cooked through - no pink inside
Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs FAQs
Yes! You can prepare and roll the meatballs earlier in the day, then store them in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Or you can freeze uncooked meatballs for up to 3 months, then thaw and bake.
Brushing the meatballs with sweet chilli sauce in the final minutes of cooking gives them a glossy, juicy finish, boosts the flavour, and helps the sesame seeds stick perfectly.
Yes - just place them on a lined flat baking tray.
Absolutely. You can freeze both cooked and uncooked meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw uncooked meatballs in the fridge before baking.
Reheat cooked meatballs in the oven, microwave or air-fryer until piping hot.
They're perfect with jasmine rice, rice noodles, salad or even wrapped in lettuce cups for a lighter option. As an appetiser, make sure you have plenty of dipping sauce on the side.
More Savoury Snack Recipes
Whether you're feeding a crowd, catering to a fussy toddler, prepping snacks for game night or pulling together a light dinner, these easy savoury snack recipes tick every box.
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Baked Thai Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken mince ground chicken
- 45 g (½ cup) panko crumbs or breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 30 g (2 tbs) soy sauce
- 30 g (2 tbs) sweet chilli sauce
- 15 g (1 tbs) lime juice
- 30 g (2 tbs) extra sweet chilli sauce for brushing
- sesame seeds for sprinkling
For the sauce
- 75 g (⅓ cup) sweet chilli sauce
- 22 g (1 ½ tbs) lime juice
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 210 degrees celsius (fan forced).
- Lightly spray a non-stick mini-muffin tray with cooking spray and set aside (if you don't have a mini-muffin tray, lightly spray a non-stick baking tray).
- Place the chicken mince, panko crumbs, garlic, ginger, soy, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice into a bowl.
- Mix to combine.
- Roll mixture into heaped tablespoon sized balls using wet hands (see Notes)
- Place one ball into each hole of the mini-muffin tin.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then brush with 2 tbs sweet chilli sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for a further 2 minutes or until cooked through.
- To make the dipping sauce, mix the extra ⅓ cup of sweet chilli sauce and 1 & ½ tbs lime juice in a small serving bowl.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 210 degrees celsius (fan forced).
- Lightly spray a non-stick mini-muffin tray with cooking spray and set aside (if you don't have a mini-muffin tray, lightly spray a non-stick baking tray).
- Place the chicken mince, panko crumbs, garlic, ginger, soy, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice into the Thermomix bowl. Mix for 5 seconds, Reverse, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat once more or until combined.
- Roll mixture into heaped tablespoon sized balls using wet hands.
- Place one ball into each hole of the mini-muffin tin.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then brush with 2 tbs sweet chilli sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for a further 2 minutes or until cooked through.
- To make the dipping sauce, mix the extra ⅓ cup of sweet chilli sauce and 1 & ½ tbs lime juice in a small serving bowl.
Notes
- Don't overmix mixture
- Use wet hands to roll
- Muffin tray keeps them juicy
- Brush with glaze for best flavour
- Freeze cooked or uncooked
Grace says
Oh, nom, nom, nom! I think I'm going to make these for the boys' upcoming birthday part, Lucy!
Shari from GoodFoodWeek says
Do you know that I have never actually had a fried meatball. I always make my meatballs in sauce or bake them in the oven. These look delicious and I think that everyone would enjoy them.
Bake Play Smile says
Thank you xx
Deborah says
Oh, these look good Lucy and would be easy to make gluten-free!
They're going on my list!
Bake Play Smile says
Oh definitely!!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six says
I have a Pinterest board dedicated just to meatballs 🙂 Great tip about the mini muffin tins. These look perfect for a light mid week diner - and anything that requires messy hands always tastes better.
Bake Play Smile says
Hahaha that's hilarious!! Love your work!
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
I'm definitely not a fried meatballs kind of girl either, Lucy, so I'm loving this fresh, light alternative! Chicken is our go-to weeknight staple, so these would go down incredibly well with us, especially in the ridiculous heat we've been having here in Brisbane lately! Plus I think these would double-up as an easy work lunch for me cold the next day. They'd be fantastic in a wrap with some salad, I suspect! Yummy! 😀
Bake Play Smile says
I've been hearing how hot it is in Brisbane!! Crazy!! Ooh yes in a wrap would be delish!