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A bowl of honey garlic chicken meatballs with pineapple salsa, coconut rice, and limes.
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Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs w/ Pineapple Salsa

Make these honey garlic chicken meatballs with pineapple salsa and coconut rice for a quick, 30-minute meal that's sweet, savory, and subtly spicy!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: honey garlic chicken meatballs
Method: Stovetop
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free panko or almond flour
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 green onions very finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1/2 shallot finely minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 to 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

For the Honey Garlic Glaze

  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 cloves garlic freshly minced
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger or fresh grated
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp lime juice

For the Pineapple Salsa

  • 2-3 cups fresh pineapple finely diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
  • 1/2 jalapeño minced (seeds removed for less heat)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • Pinch of salt

For the Coconut Rice

  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

Cook the Coconut Rice

  • Rinse the rice in a large bowl with cold water, swishing with your hands and draining. Repeat until the water runs clear.
  • Add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and lime juice to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid reduces below the rice and the bubbling subsides, about 10 minutes.
  • Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside.

Make the Meatballs

  • In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Form

  • Roll into evenly sized meatballs, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches.

Cook

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Make the Glaze

  • In a small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Toss

  • Add meatballs to the glaze and toss to coat.

Make the Salsa

  • In a bowl, mix all pineapple salsa ingredients. Adjust lime and salt to taste.

Serve

  • Serve meatballs over coconut rice and top generously with pineapple salsa.

Notes

Storage: 
- Store any leftover pineapple salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. 
- Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Store leftover coconut rice for up to 4 days in the fridge. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1853mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 840IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg