These Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs and Rice Bowls are perfect for meal prep! Serve with a mix of fresh stir fried veggies.
They’re easy to make ahead of time and stay fresh for days, making them an ideal grab-and-go option for busy weekdays. Lunch or dinner, these bowls are a healthy, delicious way to mix up your routine!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Balanced and nutritious: Packed with protein, fresh veggies, and rice.
- Sweet and savory: The sticky teriyaki glaze brings a bold flavour to your day.
- Family-friendly: Everyone will enjoy this dish, from kids to adults.
- Quick and easy: Simple ingredients and minimal prep make this a no-fuss recipe.
Ingredients and substitutions
Meatballs
- Ground chicken – you can also make these meatballs with ground turkey or pork.
- Breadcrumbs – use panko or crushed unsweetened cornflakes in place of the breadcrumbs.
- Egg – the egg will help bind the meatballs but if you’re allergic, plain yogurt or buttermilk will also do the trick.
- Soy sauce – coconut aminos or tamari are the best substitutes for soy sauce.
- Chili garlic sauce – sriracha would be good as well.
- Minced garlic – I prefer freshly minced garlic but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Fresh ginger – if you don’t have any fresh ginger, use a bit of ground ginger powder instead.
- Green onions – chives, shallots or onion can be used if you don’t have any green onions on hand.
Teriyaki sauce
- Hoisin sauce – garlic teriyaki sauce will provide a similar flavour. You could also use a store-bought teriyaki sauce instead of making your own.
- Soy sauce – coconut aminos or tamari are the best substitutes for soy sauce.
- Honey – agave or brown sugar would also work.
- Cornstarch – potato starch or arrowroot can be used in place or cornstarch.
Rice
- White rice – use another kind of rice like brown rice or even quinoa.
- Butter – swap out for your favourite butter substitute to make the rice nice and moist.
Veggies
- Sesame oil – you can use a neutral oil like olive or canola oil, but it will have a milder flavour.
- Snap peas – green beans or bok choy would also be good.
- Carrot matchsticks – or another veggie like bell peppers.
- Red cabbage – green cabbage, coleslaw mix or another kind of veggie can be used instead.
Optional garnishes
- Green onion – garnish with chives instead.
- Sesame seeds – use either black or white sesame seeds.
How to make teriyaki chicken meatballs
Step 1: Cook the rice.
Cook the rice in a rice cooker or stove.
Step 2: Mix the meatball ingredients together.
Toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix.
Step 3: Form the mixture into meatballs and bake.
Shape the mixture into balls and bake until ready.
Step 4: Cook the veggies.
In your pan, sauté the veggies.
Step 5: Coat the meatballs.
Toss the meatballs in the teriyaki sauce.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Arrange the rice, meatball and the veggies in a bowl and dig in!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use a cookie scoop: To shape evenly sized meatballs that cook uniformly.
- Make the sauce glossy: Add a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water) to the teriyaki sauce for a thicker, sticky glaze.
- Spice it up: Add sriracha or red chili flakes to the teriyaki sauce for a spicy kick.
- Add a topping: Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions, or crushed peanuts for added flavour and texture.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make sure my meatballs are juicy and tender?
Avoid over-mixing the meat mixture! That's a big reason why meatballs dry out.
Can I make the meatballs gluten-free?
To make the meatballs gluten-free, substitute regular breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs and use tamari instead of soy sauce in both the meatballs and the teriyaki sauce. Make sure to check all other ingredients to be safe.
How can I adjust the sweetness of the teriyaki sauce?
Just adjust the amount of brown sugar or honey you use. The amounts I suggested shouldn't make the sauce overly sweet.
What to serve with chicken teriyaki meatballs
I love serving my chicken teriyaki meatballs with a side of rice and some sautéed veggies, but feel free to switch it up when it comes to the side dishes!
- Fried rice: Vegetable or egg fried rice for a flavorful side dish.
- Cauliflower rice: A low-carb alternative to traditional rice.
- Steamed veggies: Steamed broccoli, glazed carrots or even some mashed potatoes (cauliflower mashed potatoes are a great healthy option).
- Wrap it: Make lettuce wraps with the meatballs. Serve them in Boston leaf or romaine lettuce cups with your favourite veggies.
How to store and reheat
Store: Place cooled meatballs and rice in separate airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Sprinkle water over the rice to prevent dryness, then microwave meatballs and rice together for 1-2 minutes until warm.
Freeze & Reheat: Flash-freeze the meatballs on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave from frozen for 3-4 minutes, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
More meatball recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls for your leftovers.
- A rice cooker is invaluable for saving time, and it cooks other grains, too!
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your meatballs are cooked through.
Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs and Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken or turkey
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
Teriyaki sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Rice
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 pinch salt
Veggies
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 cup snap peas
- 1 cup carrot matchsticks
- 1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- salt & pepper to taste
Optional garnishes
- 3 green onions sliced
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Add all ingredients under the rice heading to a rice cooker or pot on the stove, cooking until the liquid has absorbed.
- Mix ingredients under the meatballs heading together in a large bowl, then form into meatballs with wet hands, placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 18 minutes until fully cooked.
- Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, carrots and cabbage, seasoning with salt and sauteeing for 4-5 minutes until tender, then remove from heat.
- While cooking the veggies, add the teriyaki sauce ingredients to a large bowl, mixing well to combine. Microwave, covered, for 1 minute until the sauce thickens. Remove meatballs from oven and toss in sauce, then serve alongside rice and veggies. Enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Sonia says
Made it the first time with the corn starch, was good. Second batch added an extra teaspoon of honey and soy sauce and no corn starch, even better.
Kate says
All good except the 2 tbsp of corn starch. Is it suppose to be 2 tsp? I microwaved it for a min and it turned into a solid rock. Remade the sauce without microwaving and it tasted chalky. Not sure what I was doing wrong.
Taylor Stinson says
So sorry Kate, yes this was a typo! It should be 2 tsp. I’m very sorry about this, it’s been fixed now!
Kate says
I see! Thank you, I will try again.
Barb says
This was great. Will make again, but both my husband and I felt that there was too much cornstarch in the sauce and we could really taste it. Next time we would heavily reduce the cornstarch. Flavors were there, so next time it will be perfect!