These easy gluten-free chicken teriyaki meatballs combine tender chicken meatballs with a sticky-sweet teriyaki glaze. Add some fluffy rice and a side of broccoli and you’ve got an amazing dinner!
Juicy Meatballs + Sticky-Sweet Glaze = a Match Made In Heaven
My kids have been on a meatballs kick ever since our Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, and these teriyaki chicken meatballs have been our latest fave. There’s so much to love about this easy dinner!
EASE: Simple ingredients, and simple techniques are the name of the game here!
FLAVORS: The meatballs are packed with delicious flavor on their own, but the gluten-free teriyaki sauce really takes things to the next level. You’ll get notes of umami from the tamari, subtle sweetness, savory notes of garlic, ginger, and cilantro and a little toasted sesame. It’s balanced and SO GOOD!
KID-FRIENDLY. Meatballs and rice are usually an easy sell for little ones! Add your kids’ favorite green veggie + a side of pineapple or mango for an easy, balanced dinner.
Happy cooking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
If you’ve made our homemade teriyaki sauce, you’ll notice a lot of familiar ingredients here! Let’s take a look:
How To Make Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Combine Meatball Mixture. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken breast, gluten-free breadcrumbs, green onion, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Use a fork or clean hands to gently mix until just combined. Try to use a light touch here and don’t over-mix. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with second half of the meatballs. Drain any fat or remaining oil from the pan.
- Divide & Roll. Divide the mixture into 20 meatballs. (I use a medium cookie scoop for this!) Gently roll meatballs smooth between your hands.
- Make Sauce. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine water, gluten-free tamari, pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, pepper, and cornstarch. Whisk until evenly blended.
- Brown Meatballs. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches (I cook 1/2 the meatballs at a time!), brown meatballs 2-3 minutes per side, just till golden brown. The meatballs will NOT be fully cooked through at this point. Set aside on a clean plate and repeat until all meatballs are browned, adding more oil, if needed.
- Thicken Sauce. Give the sauce one more whisk to make sure there are no lumps of cornstarch at the bottom. Add the sauce to the pan and use a whisk to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat until the sauce has thickened.
- Coat & Cook Meatballs. Add all the browned meatballs back into the skillet and gently coat with sauce. Cover the pan and cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through. An instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the meatballs should reach at least 165 degrees F.
- Serve & Store. Garnish with additional cilantro, green onions, or black pepper to taste, or top with sesame seeds or red pepper flakes! Store leftover meatballss in an airtight container in the refrigerator 2-3 days. (The sauce will thicken even more in the fridge, but should loosen back up when re-heated.)
Make It A Meal (Side Dishes To Try)
So, how do we round these meatballs out into a meal? Add some side dishes! We love:
- Rice. Fluffy jasmine rice or white rice is my favorite, but Brown rice, coconut rice, or cauliflower rice are also delicious!
- Veggies. Simple stir-fried veggies, some steamed or air fryer broccoli, or some steamed or sauteed snap peas are delicious.
- Pineapple Slaw. Or, for something different, try our creamy pineapple coleslaw. The sweetness in the slaw is lovely with the savory flavor of these meatballs!
- Fresh Fruit. My kids always love fruit with dinner, so some orange slices, mango, or pineapple make a nice palate cleanser.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Teriyaki Meatballs
Can I Use Store-Bough Teriyaki Sauce Instead? Yep! If you’re using store-bought sauce, you may want to use less than I do, or cut it with water if if runs salty. My favorite store-bought sauce to use on a busy night is Bachan’s gluten-free Japanese BBQ sauce. Instead of tossing the meatballs in the sauce, I cook them through completely, then drizzle just a little sauce on top before serving, since this sauce runs salty.
Can I Use Ground Beef or Ground Turkey Here? If you like the flavor, either one of those options should work in this recipe. I don’t care for the flavor of ground turkey, so I prefer to use ground chicken breast.
Watch The Sodium! Everyone has different salt tolerance, but I highly recommend using low-sodium tamari or coconut aminos here to help moderate the salt content. If you often find stir-fry or teriyaki sauce to be too salty for your taste, reduce the tamari to 3-4 Tablespoons instead of my 1/3 cup.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Gluten-Free Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
Ingredients
For The Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound Ground Chicken Breast*
- 1/4 cup Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs
- 1 Green Onion, Thinly Sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Cilantro
- 1 clove Garlic, Minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1-2 Tablespoons Oil, For Cooking (I use olive oil or avocado oil)
For The Teriyaki Glaze
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/3 cup Low Sodium Gluten-Free Tamari (or coconut aminos)
- 3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 clove Garlic, Minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Instructions
- Combine Meatball Mixture. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken breast, gluten-free breadcrumbs, green onion, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Use a fork or clean hands to gently mix until just combined. Try to use a light touch here and don't over-mix. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with second half of the meatballs. Drain any fat or remaining oil from the pan.
- Divide & Roll. Divide the mixture into 20 meatballs. (I use a medium cookie scoop for this!) Gently roll meatballs smooth between your hands.
- Make Sauce. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine water, gluten-free tamari, pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, pepper, and cornstarch. Whisk until evenly blended.
- Brown Meatballs. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches (I cook 1/2 the meatballs at a time!), brown meatballs 2-3 minutes per side, just till golden brown. The meatballs will NOT be fully cooked through at this point. Set aside on a clean plate and repeat until all meatballs are browned, adding more oil, if needed.
- Thicken Sauce. Give the sauce one more whisk to make sure there are no lumps of cornstarch at the bottom. Add the sauce to the pan and use a whisk to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat until the sauce has thickened.
- Coat & Cook Meatballs. Add all the browned meatballs back into the skillet and gently coat with sauce. Cover the pan and cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through. An instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the meatballs should reach at least 165 degrees F.
- Serve & Store. Garnish with additional cilantro, green onions, or black pepper to taste, or top with sesame seeds or red pepper flakes! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator 2-3 days. (The sauce will thicken even more in the fridge, but should loosen back up when re-heated.)
Notes
- Ground Chicken Breast. I prefer using extra lean ground chicken breast instead of regular ground chicken. It’s higher in protein and has a more neutral flavor.
- Watch The Sodium! Everyone has different salt tolerance, but I highly recommend using low-sodium tamari or coconut aminos here to help moderate the salt content. If you often find stir-fry or teriyaki sauce to be too salty for your taste, reduce the tamari to 3-4 Tablespoons instead of my 1/3 cup.
- Serving Suggestions. I love to serve this with fluffy jasmine rice and steamed broccoli, but feel free to serve it with cauliflower rice, stir-fry veggies, or stir-fry noodles instead.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.