Whole30 Orange Chicken Meatballs
Gluten-free, Paleo & Whole30 Orange Chicken Meatballs! Delicious meatballs coated in a grain-free breading are cooked in a sweet and sticky Chinese-inspired Orange Sauce. This healthy twist on takeout food is a dish the whole family will love!
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Servings: 4 people (about 3 meatballs each)
Calories: 482kcal
Ingredients
- 2 oranges
- ½ cup green onions reserve ¼ cup for garnish (optional)
- ½ tablespoon fresh garlic about 2 cloves
- ½ tablespoon fresh ginger about a 1" piece
- 1 ½ pounds ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cassava flour
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
- Zest enough orange to have 1 tablespoon for the meatballs, 2 tablespoons for the sauce and 1 tablespoon for garnish (if desired). Squeeze enough orange to have ½ cup juice for the sauce.
- Thinly slice enough green onion to have ¼ cup for the meatballs and ¼ cup for garnish (if desired). Mince enough fresh garlic to have ½ tablespoon for the sauce. Grate enough fresh ginger to have a ½ tablespoon for the sauce.
Make Meatballs
- In a large shallow bowl, add ground chicken, egg, ¼ cup of the green onions, 1 tablespoon of the orange zest, pepper and salt. With a sturdy spoon, mix until very well combined.
- In a separate large shallow bowl, stir together cassava flour, ground ginger and ground coriander.
- With moistened hands, roll chicken meatball mixture into 2" inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Next, gently roll each ball through seasoned cassava flour until evenly coated. Set the meatballs aside on a clean plate or a piece of parchment paper.
Cook Meatballs
- In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches if necessary, carefully drop meatballs into the skillet in an even-layer. Lightly brown the meatballs evenly on both sides, (about 5 minutes per side).
- While the meatballs are browning, make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, minced garlic and grated ginger.
- Once all of the meatballs are browned evenly, add chicken broth to the skillet, scraping up any brown bits and then add the orange sauce to the skillet. If working in batches, return all meatballs to the skillet. Stir well to combine broth, orange sauce and meatballs.
- Bring liquid to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook (stirring often) until sauce thickens and becomes a glaze (7 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat.
Notes
Garnish with remaining sliced green onions, orange zest and sesame seeds alongside cauliflower rice and fresh steamed broccoli for a hearty Whole30 compliant meal. ENJOY! :)
Nutrition
Calories: 482kcal