Asian Chicken Meatballs over Sesame Noodles

These meatballs are very similar to the filing of a dumpling or wonton without the wrapper. My family really enjoys them. They are gluten-free and dairy-free and can easily be made paleo. I recently brought these Asian chicken meatballs over sesame noodles to a party. It was a big hit! For a paleo version, serve them over zucchini noodles and check the ingredient list; there are a few adjustments.

 

Asian Chicken Meatballs over Sesame Noodles

Makes 12-14 meatballs

 

1 pound ground chicken thigh

1 egg (for egg-free, use a flax or chia sub)

1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free/paleo)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sherry

2 minced garlic cloves

2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger

2-3 scallions minced (white and some green)

¼ teaspoon sea or kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper

Optional: ¼ cup minced water chestnuts

 

Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a baking sheet by placing a silicone mat or parchment paper on top.
2. Combine all ingredients except garnish in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined then mix briskly for 30 seconds to help the meatballs to stick together.
3. Roll meatballs that are about 1 ½” in diameter, about the size of a golf ball.
4. Place on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and no longer pink inside and/or the internal temperature is at least 165 F.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

 

Sesame Rice Noodles

This is the easy part! Simply follow the directions on the package which involves boiling for a short time then rinsing. For the above amount of meatballs, I used about 1/2 of a package.

Allow the noodles to rest a little or make sure they are drained well so they aren’t watery. Put them in a bowl and toss with (approximately for every cup of noodles) 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 chopped scallion (white and a little green), 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and some chopped cilantro.

Once the meatballs are cooked, serve them on top of the noodles and drizzle a little more sesame oil, gluten-free soy sauce and a touch of honey or agave. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Author Information: Amy Fothergill, San Francisco, CA