Go Back
–+ servings
Whole30 Thai Pumpkin Curry with Chicken Zucchini Meatballs // One Lovely Life

Thai Pumpkin Curry Chicken Meatballs

5 from 1 vote
Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
Tender chicken meatballs in a luxurious pumpkin curry sauce. The flavors are unbelievable!
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Print Pin
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 390kcal

Ingredients

For The Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground chicken breast*
  • 1 1/2- 2 cups shredded zucchini (squeeze extra liquid out with paper towels!)
  • 2 Tablespoons cilantro minced
  • 1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For The Pumpkin Curry Sauce

  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (full-fat!)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup cashew butter sunflower seed butter or peanut butter will also work
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce use 2 tsp chile oil for Paleo/Whole30
  • 1-2 Tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons gluten free tamari use coconut aminos for Paleo/Whole30, or you can use soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup cilantro minced
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2-3/4 cups water as needed

Instructions

First, Make Meatballs

  • Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with spray oil or coconut oil.
  • Combine Meatball Mixture. In a large bowl, blend ground chicken breast, zucchini, cilantro, ginger, and salt. Toss with a fork until just mixed in (it'll probably feel like you have too much zucchini at first. Don't worry! Just keep going.)
  • Scoop & Shape. Using a small scoop or a heaped tablespoon, scoop out meatballs onto prepared sheet pan. (Depending on the size of your meatballs, you'll end up with about 24-28 meatballs).
  • Bake meatballs 12-15 minutes, or until they're cooked through. If desired, broil an additional 1-2 minutes for browning.

Make The Curry Sauce

  • Combine. While the meatballs are baking, Whisk together coconut milk, pumpkin puree, cashew butter, chili sauce (or oil), curry paste, ginger, and tamari in a large sauté pan.
  • Cook sauce over medium-low heat until smooth and heated through. Taste and add additional curry paste, chili sauce (for more kick), or tamari as desired. Stir in cilantro. Add water as needed to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency.
  • Add Meatballs. When the meatballs are cooked through, add them to the sauce and stir to coat well. Garnish with extra cilantro, some chopped peanuts or cashews, pomegranate seeds, or your favorite garnish!
  • Serve & Store. Enjoy with rice or cauliflower rice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days.

Notes

  • Ground Chicken. I prefer ground chicken breast over regular ground chicken since it's leaner, higher in protein, and has a milder taste. If you can't find ground chicken, you can make your own! Just put boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs (or a mix of both) into your food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until finely ground.
Course: Chicken, Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken meatballs, curry, pumpkin curry,

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25Recipe | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.1g | Protein: 34.7g | Fat: 22.6g | Saturated Fat: 12.4g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 794.3mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 6.2g | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 45mg

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.

Find it Online:

https://www.onelovelylife.com/thai-curry-chicken-meatballs/