Lemongrass Chicken Meatballs with Cucumber Salad

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Hey, Friends!

Happy Thursday (aka Almost Friday)! Spring decided to finally stick around, so I’m ready for some patio sitting, beer sipping, #weekendvibes all around.

Today I’m sharing a recipe that got me through this winter/spring hybrid of a season. These chicken meatballs are light, refreshing, and exactly what you need to chase all that gloomy weather away.

Mmmm…look at all that ground chicken spiced with tangy ginger, garlic, and lemongrass with creamy coconut-y goodness paired with refreshing pickled cucumbers and carrots – say it with me…yyyyuummmm.

So, I have some tips for y’all:

One thing I hate is wasting both food and money. I have felt terrible in the past buying a special ingredient, only to use half the product and throw the rest out later in the week. BUT, today’s recipe uses two products that help me cut back on my food waste!

First, did you know that coconut milk is now sold in a 5 oz. can? Thank goodness! The 5 oz. can is perfect for this recipe – just enough sauce, but not too much. But, if you are a regular coconut milk user, you can certainly use about a half regular can size for this recipe and use the rest later!

Second, many herbs are sold in paste form packaged in small plastic tubes, which helps prolong their shelf life. Lemongrass is not something that I use all the time, but I love cooking with it every now and then when the mood strikes. This paste, which I picked up from the local grocery store, was perfect for my recipe and bought me extra shelf life time. Bonus: you can also use this cilantro paste if your prone to forgetting about using the rest of the cilantro bunch in the vegetable crisper. (Don’t worry, I’ve been there!)

So back to my #weekendvibes… you will definitely find me noshing this deliciousness on Saturday. Also, this beer may or may not be involved as well.

Lemongrass Chicken Meatballs with Cucumber Salad

A light and refreshing take on chicken meatballs with Thai-inspired flavors.

• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb. ground chicken breast
• 3 scallions, white and green parts chopped, separated
• 2 tablespoons lemongrass paste
• 2–3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper flake, optional (can use more or less)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon light oil (light olive or canola would work)
• 1 mini (5 oz.) can of coconut milk (about half of a regular size can)
• 2 large cucumbers, sliced thinly or spiralized
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots (3 handfuls)
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 1 half lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine ground chicken, white parts of scallions, lemongrass paste, cilantro, 1 tbsp. fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flake, panko breadcrumbs, and pinch of salt in bowl. Mix together with hands until just combined, but ingredients evenly distributed. Form into meatballs.
3. Heat oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat and pour in light oil. Sear meatballs on all sides until brown all over.
4. Pour in coconut milk into pan to deglaze pan. Stir sauce around, scraping up bits off bottom of pan as you stir. Place oven-safe pan of meatballs into oven and bake for 10 min.
5. Meanwhile, mix together sliced cucumber and shredded carrots in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, 1/2 tsp fish sauce, and 1-2 pinches of salt. Pour sauce over top of vegetables and mix well. Allow to sit while meatballs finish. Salad can be prepared night before and sit overnight in refrigerator.
6. Remove meatballs from oven. Serve immediately on top of whole grain rice (optional) with salad. Garnish with green parts of scallions or additional cilantro (optional).