Ginger Chicken Meatball Sandwiches Recipe
Ginger Chicken Meatball Sandos are a vibrant and flavorful twist on the classic meatball sandwich. Featuring ground chicken meatballs infused with aromatic ginger, garlic, serrano pepper, and fresh herbs, cooked to tender perfection in a skillet. Served on soft bread with creamy mayo, crisp cucumber, shallots, fresh cilantro, mint, and a spicy chili condiment for a deliciously messy and satisfying handheld meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 serrano pepper, stem removed
- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
- A bunch of fresh cilantro
- 3 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Sandwich Toppings
- 4 pieces soft bread (soft French bread or flatbread like pita or naan)
- 1/2 cup mayo or kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 sliced shallot or red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons chili crisp or sriracha
Instructions
- Prepare the Aromatics: Blitz together the garlic, serrano pepper, fresh cilantro, and peeled ginger in a small chopper or food processor until finely minced. This aromatic mixture forms the flavorful base of your meatballs.
- Mix the Meatball Ingredients: Transfer the minced aromatics to a large bowl. Add the ground chicken, fish sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Mix everything together thoroughly. The mixture will be wet, but that’s expected. Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs; perfect shapes aren’t necessary.
- Cook the Meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Place the meatballs in the skillet and let them start cooking undisturbed to develop a golden crust.
- Steam and Cook Through: Add 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet – it will sizzle immediately. Quickly cover the pan with the lid to steam the meatballs. After a few minutes, remove the lid, carefully flip the meatballs, and repeat the steaming and flipping until the meatballs are cooked through, tender, and golden brown, about 10 minutes total cooking time.
- Assemble the Sandos: Warm the bread to make it soft and pliable. Spread mayo or kewpie generously on the bread. Layer on the cooked meatballs, followed by sliced cucumber, shallots, fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and finish with a drizzle of chili crisp or sriracha for a spicy kick. Serve immediately to enjoy the messy, saucy goodness.
Notes
- If the meatball mixture is too wet and difficult to form, sprinkle extra cornstarch a little at a time until the mixture holds together better.
- You can substitute the serrano pepper with jalapeño for less heat, or omit for a milder flavor.
- For extra flavor, let the meatball mixture rest for 10 minutes before forming, allowing the fish sauce and spices to meld.
- Use kewpie mayonnaise if you want a creamier, slightly sweeter mayo flavor typical in Asian cuisine.
- The sandwich is delicious served warm but also tastes great at room temperature, making it a good option for picnics.
Keywords: ginger chicken meatballs, meatball sandwich, Asian meatballs, spicy chicken sandwich, quick dinner, cilantro, fresh herbs
