Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
This is my favorite way to eat chicken meatballs. They’re spiced up with a sweet, savory, and spicy firecracker sauce. They’re tender, filled with flavor, and require minimum work!
Thank God It’s Friday, y’all!
I thought this week would never end. It was an ongoing cycle of endless days, but the weekend is finally here!
This recipe for firecracker chicken meatballs has been stuck in my head on an endless loop for the last several weeks. I had been craving something with a little more spice, yet a little sweet too. And what’s more perfect than game day food that’s actually somewhat healthy (they’re baked!) and still has tons of flavor but isn’t your regular old meatball covered in marinara? FIRECRACKER. SAUCE. FTW!
These baked chicken meatballs are one of Anees’s favorite meals. This is obviously a recent development. Because up until a couple of weeks ago, they didn’t even exist.
How to make the original Firecracker Chicken Meatballs:
This recipe is super low maintenance. And if you’re not a fan of chicken meatballs, you can swap it out for turkey or any other kind of ground meat you please. But I do feel that chicken or turkey would pair the best with the sauce.
These are perfect for when you’re hosting a game day party and need something super flavorful on the table. I like to make a big batch for the two of us that we munch on all week long. Meatball subs made with firecracker chicken and melty cheese would be perfect for weekend lunches and a few meatballs paired with a side salad would be ideal for weekday lunches. And if you’re like me, with a fetish for food straight from the refrigerator, well then they’d make for a good snack too. Yup, cold. I like them like that sometimes!
What ingredients do you need to make the best firecracker chicken meatballs?
We’re keepin’ what goes into the meatballs simple because it’s that firecracker sauce that we want to stand out bright when you take that first bite.
For the chicken meatballs, I used simple ground chicken breasts. Again, ground chicken thighs or a combination of ground chicken + ground turkey would be good too.
The binding is simple. 2 large eggs and a little panko. For the spices, paprika, onion powder, and obvi, garlic. It’s all pantry staples on this one, folks!
You want to *just* combine the ingredients. When making meatballs, the less you work the meat, the better it is. I shaped mine into 3 tablespoon-sized balls. It’s totally up to you how big/small you want them. The size I indicated will take about 11-13 minutes in the oven.
What goes in the firecracker chicken meatballs sauce?
The sauce is simple too. Since the meatballs are flavored with just enough to keep them moist, the real flavors come from the sauce! All you need is a little hot sauce (I recommend Franks), brown sugar, red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt. It’s 10 ingredients total if you don’t count the salt and pepper. The sauce is enough to coat all the meatballs with a little leftover for a drizzle before serving. If you’re like me and you live to dip and dunk, double the sauce recipe. You can even serve these firecracker meatballs with a little white rice and broccoli and drizzle the sauce on there. I speak from experience, can you tell?
And the best part is, you can mix up the meat mixture from the night before and just bake and drizzle them with the sauce the day of. These tasty chicken meatballs are going to be the highlight of game day. Get ready to be host of the year!
How would you serve firecracker chicken meatballs as a meal?
I get this question a ton! I would serve them over a bed of white rice (or cilantro lime rice, even better) with roasted or sauteed veggies on the side!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
- Slow cooker honey chipotle meatballs
- These CRAZY GOOD wings with the same sauce
- Easy Philly Cheese Steak Dip
Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
This is my favorite way to eat chicken meatballs. They're spiced up with a sweet, savory, and spicy firecracker sauce. They're tender, filled with flavor, and require minimum work!
Ingredients
meatballs:
- 1 ¾ - 2 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs*
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
firecracker sauce:
- ½ cup hot sauce (I recommend Franks)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)
Instructions
- Position 2 racks near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 475ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine the ingredients of the firecracker sauce over medium high heat, allow to come to a boil, reduce the heat so it simmers. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools so don't worry if it looks thin.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, salt pepper, eggs, panko, paprika, and onion powder. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients together. It's easier to tell when he ingredients are combined when using hands. DO NOT OVERMIX, it will result in drier meatballs.
- Shape the meat mixture into ball, about 3 tablespoons of meat per ball. You can also do this with an ice cream scoop. Place shaped meatballs on prepared baking sheet. bake for 11-13 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
- Using 2 tablespoon, dip each individual meatball into the sauce. Alternately, you can brush each meatball with the sauce. Place back on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 1-2 minutes. Drizzle or brush with additional sauce as desired.
Notes
- Panko is a Japanese style of breadcrumbs.
- A combination of ground chicken and turkey can be used to make these meatballs.
- If you would like to serve your meatballs with sauce, I would double the ingredients for the sauce portion as this recipe makes just enough for basting.
- The meatball mixture can be prepared the night before and baked the day of, if desired.
I love this easy and quick recipe! I’ll give it a try!
Hope you enjoy it Olivia, thanks for commenting! 🙂
These look awesome! My boyfriend would love them too. Definilty putting these on the list. I think I could make them into a dinner or stirfry kinda with veggies and rice too. What do u think?
Yup! Definitely, Julie! I’ve don’t it with a little steamed broccoli and white rice on the side before. Drizzled the firecracker sauce on the broccoli and rice, so good! I would suggest doubling the sauce if you guys like a little more gravy in your stirfrys! 🙂
These look yum..can you tell me how spicy they end up?
They weren’t too spicy for our taste. You could leave the red pepper flakes out if you’d like it to be more mild!
making tonight, exited to try!
Fantastic recipe! I will definitely be trying it soon! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hello! I was wondering if I would be able to
Make these in a slow cooker? If so, what changes would I need to make to the recipe?
Unfortunately i’ve never tried making them in the slow cooker, Megan so i’m unsure if the recipe will actually work. This would definitely require addition recipe testing before I could say for sure!
I was going to ask the same question. I want to make this for a Christmas party and be able to keep them nice and warm, so I may cook them as described in the recipe, then place them in a slow cooker with some additional sauce.
Yes, I think that should work. I would keep it on warm rather than ‘low’ just to make sure they’re not drying out as they sit. Additional sauce is always a good idea 🙂
I made these little delights for a cocktail party. They were quite the hit.
What about using the sauce over shrimp? This reminds me of a similar dish at a local restaurant….
Sure! That sounds yummy!
Can these be frozen for later use,I want to have them for Christmas ,thanks in advance for a reply
Unfortunately we’ve never had leftovers to freeze! They’re always gone in a flash!
You could bake them and then freeze.. reheat and then sauce them when you’re ready to serve at a later date!
These were fantastic. Entire family loved them!! Followed the recipe to a t except for adding a T of chopped parsley to the chicken balls for taste and color. GREAT RECIPE!!!
Can these be frozen for a later use
I made this recipe for dinner tonight with rice. I followed the recipe exactly, except i used sriracha as opposed to Franks or another hot sauce. The meatballs were quick to mix and get on the cooking sheet and they were done on time and they on their own are delicious. The sauce was also easy to prepare and glazes the meatballs beautifully. I opted to not use the red pepper flake and it was a nice heat. I will definitely make these again. Great, easy and tasty recipe.
Great recipe! The only thing I found difficult to do was roll the sticky chicken meat into balls. It doesn’t roll as smoothly as ground beef does. I wonder if anyone has a trick to make this easier. Thanks for the recipe!
I find that wetting your hands with a bit of water in between rolling made things a breeze. Took care of that stickiness problem. Hope this helps!
I found that turkey isn’t as sticky. Also, I’ve use a cookie scoop when making alot and don’t want to roll- just scoop onto the baking sheet- not completely round, but I’m ok with that.
Looks yummy. Can I use usual breadcrumbs instead of panko
Unfortunately I can’t say if regular breadcrumbs would work. I’ve only tested the recipe with panko.
Made these for a family Christmas party. They are awesome. I used ground turkey and I mixed them up the day before so the garlic flavor really marinated in the meat. Super easy and will be making them again. The sauce would make an amazing stir fry sauce I think.
made these for the afc championship game. They were a hit. i plan on using the sauce for more.yum
Made these this afternoon as a trial run…. Loved it! I recommend thickening the sauce a little bit with a cornstarch and water slurry to make it more of a glaze. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I made these today and they were fantastic. I was surprised to be able to get Franks sauce in Australia but it is in the regular supermarkets. I found the sauce thickened enough on cooling to glaze. The meatballs were moist (I used ground chicken thighs) and although the panko felt strange to the hands when mixing (because they are hard) it all mixed well. Will be making again.
I saw this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it today. Best decision ever!! I added minced onions, ginger, and chipotle pepper seasoning to the sauce. This is a keeper!
Will be Tring tonight thanks dear!!
Holy spicy!
So they are pretty spices? Hubby doesn’t do spices well, I on the other hand love it. Just wondering if he cud tolerate if I left out the pepper flakes??
I love this recipe Marzia! I made them for a hot nibbles party and I had people asking for more! It has since become a firm favourite in our household. Thank you! Great job!
I love these meatballs! I am going to be making them tonight, but wondered if instead of making meatballs do you think they would turn at well as a burger patty?
Glad to hear it! Not sure about the burger patties, Abby, this would require further recipe testing. I’m worried the patties may not hold.
So delicious! I made it for the fourth of July, and my family LOVED it! Definitely will make this in the future.
OMG Marzia! These firecracker meatballs are awesome! Even my husband, who does not get excited about food, raved about them, lol! I subbed with ground turkey only because that is what I had and it turned out great. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!!! 🙂
OMG!!!! I just made these meatballs and they were great! I followed the recipe exactly. It is spicy but I loved it!
I made these today and they were very well liked.
I left out the red chile flakes and added some ketchup to the sauce to cut the heat a bit since I was dealing with non-spicy food people.
I cooked the meatballs in a 550 degree convection oven to try and get some browning in the short cooking time and I glazed them 3 times to try and build up the glaze.
Broke out the kitchenaid with the grinder attachment to grind up some boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Good recipe. Thanks.
In a pinch, could you use ground beef instead?
Sure, think it should work out just fine! 🙂
Hi, what herb did you put on last? Is that parsley?
Yup, it’s parsley 🙂
What about doubling the sauce and letting the meatballs sit in the sauce in a crockpot on warm? I’m looking to make these for thanksgiving.
My best guess is that they should be fine for a few hours on the ‘warm’ setting. Haven’t tried it before but I do think that should work!
Hey Samantha! Did you end up making these for Thanksgiving? I’m getting ready to make them now and am thinking of just baking them tonight and keeping on warm in the crockpot tomorrow. I’m just wondering if you made them, how did they turn out?
Thanks!
Nicole
Samantha, did you tru the crockpot? I would like to bake and freeze in sauce and put in crock later
Thanks!
These were the best! Thanks for the recipe!
I made this Saturday for my husband. He loves spicy food. He raved about them so much that I am sending him the link to this page so his co-worker can try it. I know that we will be making this recipe many times in the future. Thank you for this yummy recipe!
Since you are the most recent comment I’m hoping you’ll remember how many meatballs you got out of this recipe. I’m making them for a Mew Years get together so I’m trying to decide if I should double or triple the recipe. Thanks!
Wondered if I could use frozen chicken or turkey meatballs and just add the sauce. Cook them in the crockpot for a few hours. What do you think?
Hi Julie! If you’ve used frozen chicken or turkey meatballs in a slow cooker before, then it should work out just fine! I haven’t, so it would be difficult for me to say. Maybe if you sauté the meatballs in a bit of oil to just sear the outside and let them finish in the slow cooker with the sauce?
I just made these for NYE. SO GOOD! Thank you!
Hi, could you put these over rice or how do you serve them during a meal time? Can’t wait to make them!!
Hi Anne, that’s actually exactly how I serve these! I’d make additional sauce if you’d like to drizzle some on the rice too!
I loved these! Great recipe!
These are the best chicken balls recipe I have ever made. It’s the perfect blend of hot and sweet. Thanks for sharing!
Made these tonight and added a little BBQ sauce to tone down the spice. I paired the finished meatballs with an avocado cream sauce for dipping. Turned out great! Pretty darn spicy otherwise, so I recommend tasting the sauce as you make it and toning it to your liking.
My family loved this recipe. Especially the sauce!
Is there nutrition for this recipe? Looks awesome
Hi Heather, I don’t have it calculated off hand but if you paste the link to this page in myfitnesspal.com it’ll generate it for you 🙂
Delicious! Was a big hit for Super Bowl party!
What are the green flakes I see in the picture?
Just parsley for pictures. It’s not really part of the recipe.
Do you have the nutritional information for these?? Can’t wait to make them!
I dont have them calculated off hand Nataliya, but you can plug the URL for the recipe into myfitnesspal.com and it will calculate it for you!
These were so incredibly delicious and easy to make. I took leftovers for lunch and 12 couldn’t come fast enough. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Delicious! Great recipe! I added green onion. My kids requested I make it again. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
My family loved this recipe! I was concerned my kids wouldn’t be able to handle the spice so I cut down the Frank’s hot sauce and used ketchup to to make the needed 1/2 cup. Delicious!
All 3 of my boys loved these! Yummy and spicy – these are a winner!
Very easy and tasty.
I loved it ..it’s yummy!!!!
Can you substitute honey for the brown sugar? If so, how much do you think?
Honey may work for this recipe but without recipe testing, I can’t say for sure if it’ll thin out the sauce too much. Usually, honey and brown sugar are a 1:1 ratio, but 1 cup seems like a whole lot for this. I’d start out with about ½ cup and adjust with additional honey as desired.
Really yummy! These were a big hit at my house! i used Louisiana Hot Sauce instead of Frank’s, and also added some cayenne to the meatballs for an extra kick!
Oh my thes e are absolutley fantastic. An instant family favorite. I used a small dipper(.75 maybe) for appetizer size and i got at least 40 meatballs. They puffed up a lot during cooking.
Oh my goodness – those knots are so cute! The meatballs are amazing and I think this could be easily called a piece of art more than just a recipe or a blog post. Thanks so much for your motivation!
Going to make these today for a party! Can you go ahead and make the sauce earlier like 2-3 hours before cooking the meatballs? Can’t wait to taste!!
Yes, I think that should be fine. You may need a little water when reheating the sauce as it may thicken a bit as it sits though.
Made these and turned them into mini patties for sliders…they were a hit! I even made a gluten free version with GF panko. Topped with homeade Kale Chips and Peperjack cheese…..I will definitely be making these again!
Great recipe! I added two tablespoons of riccotta to moisten the meatballs even more!
I’ve made these a few times for parties. I make it them the day before, keeping the sauce separate. I double the sauce. Then the day of, I put them in a crockpot on warm with the sauce. They go in a flash.
I agree with you. I too made twice the amount of sauce. Crock pot is the way to go.
I used turkey, but, they were a little dry.
Hey ladies I’m thinking about making this for a family reunion. I’m just curious about how much you got out of this recipe. I want it to be a decent amount. I noticed she said to double for extra sauce. But if I double the amount of meatballs I’m afraid of messing up the sauce? Any tips or advice?
Made this recipe for my boyfriend and he and I both LOVED it!! I used 93% lean turkey and followed the recipe exactly. Got 18 meatballs out of it. These also make great leftovers! Thanks for the recipe!!
I wish l had leftovers ?
Fun, new way to fix chicken. Spicy sweet sauce that isnt too spicy, can be served on side for dipping. Will definitely make again! Great food to bring to a party or to serve at casual dinner party. Teenagers would love this one while gathered around bonfire…great alternative to the typical pizza.
Hi, these sound so yummy, and I can’t wait to try them! Thank you for sharing. I need to make something at the same time, and I was wondering if I could bake them on 350 instead? If so, do you know how long they should bake for?
Thank you!
Delicious! Love that they were baked not fried. I only needed one batch of sauce because dipping didn’t seem necessary. Quick and easy!
Amazing! My husband loved them I skipped the red pepper flakes and added a tablespoon of honey! Used blue cheese for dipping sauce it was fantastic!
Made these for a party and everyone loved them!! Delicious!
I absolutely loved these meatballs and they were such a hit at the party.
Frank’s hot sauce is delicious, but make sure you cook it long enough or you don’t get the rich flavour.
I made 1 batch but ate quite a few when l got them out and made 2 more batches.
Delicious!
Delicious!! Simple and quick to make. Definitely will make again.
Hi, looking at the picture of these meatballs looks so appealing. I didn’t see, within the recipe, what the green bits could be. My thought is chopped basil leaves but I didn’t see that listed as a garnish. Please help.
It’s chopped parsley. Just for pictures, really!
This looks soooooooo good. Only problem is, I have to be careful with anything hot and spicy. What can I substitute the hot sauce for? Thanks!
I don’t think you can replace all the hot sauce, unfortunately, but you could swap a good portion of it for ketchup to help take away some of the spice. Also, just omit the red pepper flakes.
Such a great idea. I made a variation of this recipe with pork instead of chicken and sandwiched the meat patties between slices of lotus root cooked in your Firecracker sauce. Worked really well.
Hi Marzia! These are amazing! My husband was a little worried when he saw the spicy ingredients but he gobbled up his dinner & went back for seconds! Here we are & he’s asking for your recipe again. Kudos to you! He is a “bit” choosy. I found your recipe but I can’t save it to Pinterest. Oh no! I wonder if there is something going on with the link? When I try to save it, the Pinterest screen goes black.
Hi there! Can the hot sauce be switched with sriracha?
Thanks!!
I think someone else mentioned in the comments below that they did that but I’m not sure how spicy it would make the firecracker sauce if you were to replace all the hot sauce with sriracha. It just depends on personal preference!
I made this tonight and my husband and I loved it! Will be making it again! Thanks!
Made this tonight as a appetizer for a neighborhood party and they were a hit! Love sweet and spicy! They were delicious and gone in no time. Several requests for the recipe. I made mine a little smaller – about 2 tbsp which was a perfect appetizer size and made 24 meatballs. So easy to make. Thanks for the great recipe!
These meatballs are delicious! I made them for a party for the first time and was a bit nervous since I’ve never made them before, but they were perfect and delicious! People loved them and actually thought they were store bought (because not too many people cook these days). I don’t like Frank’s sauce and instead keep Valentina hot sauce which is what I used and they came out great. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
We really liked this! My little guy keeps asking if I’ll make “spicy meatballs” for supper again.
This was a really hot sauce. We are used to hot receipes but I certainly will have to use less peppers and hot sauces. My husband said it had a good taste. I will try them agai.
These are so good and a nice change. I used 2lbs of ground chicken and it made 53 small (1.5 tbl) balls. I didn’t have fresh garlic so used 2 tsp of ground. I initially did not add the pepper flake and it ended up being hot enough for us. I cooked at 450 for 5 minutes, then flipped the balls and cooked for another 4. Otherwise they get dark on the bottom. I put the sauce on at the end and served in crock pot. Delicious!
These were fantastic & easy to make! Made them a little larger and had them as a dinner entree. A little ranch dressing on the side for dipping made for a fantastic contrast to the hot flavor. Also had them on a toasted bun with melted cheese. Delicious!!
Delicious!!
Hi. The photo shows a chopped herb garnishing the meatballs – is this parsley – I couldn’t see where a herb for garnish was mentioned in the ingredients list. Can you kindly advise please? Thank you.
Parsley!
This recipe has become a family favorite for any gathering we have.
Hi! I love this recipe as it is, but was Wondering if it is at all keto friendly or could possibly substituted for that? Thanks!
I make a Keto buffalo chicken meatball recipe that uses Almond flour instead of Panko or regular breadcrumbs. You could try that, but I don’t know how much you would use. Definitely not a cup.
I’ve made this recipe twice now. Love it! However I added green onion and fresh parsley to the meatballs. They tasted better and had a nicer look to them. Thanks for the recipe!
I also substituted the pinko with ground ritz crackers. My son has nut allergies and he can eat ritz. Very good!
How do you think they’d taste with Frank’s Buffalo Hot Sauce?
It should work just fine!
Simple and absolutely delicious. I used ground turkey (not the super lean) and accidentally used a whole teaspoon of paprika, but it still came out great. This makes PLENTY of sauce for the purpose of glazing and drizzling the meatballs. If you wanted to serve this as a stir fry with rice and veggies, you could double it, but it makes a good bit.
I used Panda Express sweet chili sauce worked great!
Can you use shredded chicken in the place of the ground chicken?
Hi. I love these I’ve made them a couple times but just wondering if you know the nutrition facts? How many calories per serving?
Super easy recipe. I used ground turkey and they turned out great. I did find the sauce a little too sweet but i think cutting the brown sugar in half would make it perfect. I’d make again for sure!
This is a really good recipe! Not too hot, not too sweet, just right. I will definitely be serving these at parties!
Thank you for a great recipe!
I made this with ground turkey and my family absolutely loved it and asked when we can have it again! It is spicy, but my kids loved it!
I made these meatballs and they were delicious. They tastes like an Asian dish. The simple ingredients and easy to make. Lord willing I will definitely make these again. Maybe for a potluck.
THis looks so good! What a yummy one to bring as an appetizer instead of BBQ meatballs.
Made these for dinner tonight & this recipe is a KEEPER! Will definitely make for our first football party this season ?a
Love this recipe!! I have made the Hawaiian BBQ and the Firecracker sauce and both were great. I also, make extra for the kids (18 months to 3 years old) that I don’t dip. The Firecracker sauce was too hot for us with the red pepper flakes (I only used 1/4 tsp) so I remade the sauce omitting it. They were a big hit with everyone and I’ve already shared the recipe. I made them small by using a rounded teaspoon. It made 48 balls and I cooked for 10 minutes. I served them on a platter with additional dipping sauce on the side. They are yummy at room temperature too!!
These were great. I’ll be making them again!
Very well received at a church supper. I made them as printed, but will also play with the recipe. The sauce is delicious and would work for other meats and veggies. Thanks for this!
This was a huge hit with my family although
I cut the hot sauce in half and added 2 tblsp.
Of apricot jam. Thinking that they would find too
Spicy. But it wasn’t!!!! Great recipe especially grinding my own chicken breasts and thighs.
Looking for something a different. I read this recipe and thought it sounded good. I ran to the store to get a few things that I need. This was so good, that I am thinking about bringing it to a friends birthday party. The friends family is a huge fan of spicy foods, and I believe these meatballs will be hit. I will make them a bit smaller, and serve them in a crockpot to keep them warm. Can’t wait to share.
This recipe is a keeper and so easy to make. I did 1 lb turkey and 1 lb chicken. It was super spicy but delicious.
can these be made in a slow cooker?
Made these for a Christmas party last night. I used three pounds of meat. Next year I will use four or five. Everyone loved them. Not a single one leftover. Huge hit! Next time I will cook the sauce longer to thicken it more. I would love the meatballs to be more coated by the sauce.
Has anyone had luck replacing the eggs with something?
Made them last night – added smoked paprika and pineapple marmalade (didn’t have brown sugar). It was delicious! Just the right amount of spice!
These were excellent! Easy too! We had company that devoured them! I will be making them often.. thank you for the recipe!
I have made this several times, they are a huge hit with my husband and I. However, I want to try and substitute the brown sugar for something a little healthier, any suggestions on a replacement that will still simmer and thicken up ? Thank you 🙂
Truvia?Brown Sugar Blend!!
Turned out great! ?
Can you substitute ground pork rinds for the panko so it would be Keto friendly
I made these tonight for dinner. They were fantastic!
Oh, that’s awesome! Appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment, Debbie!
My daughter in law made this for dinner. And the family loved it.
So happy to hear it was enjoyed, Melvyne! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
The picture looks like there is parsley or something green in it on the meatballs, but I don’t see it in the ingredients?
Parsley, for pictures!
Great overall flavor but too sweet and not spicy enough for me. Modified recipe as follows: Used only only one pound of meat so had to adjust other ingredients. Subbed Thai sweet & spicy as my “hot” sauce and increased ACV. Also added sauce in with meatballs to carmelize them, which worked but need to add more panko to bind them. Increased cooking time to 15 minutes. Next time would decrease brown sugar and add minced jalapeno. Taste: #8/10. Spiciness#1/10. Will make again. Bon Appetit!
Hi there! I’m so glad to hear you gave these meatballs a try! I think what may have aided in making these meatballs too sweet, was the sweet and spicy Thai sauce subbed in place of the hot sauce. The hot sauce recommended adds tartness and spice but doesn’t add additional sugar so it balances the amount of brown sugar called for in the recipe. I suggest trying the recipe with a tangy hot sauce instead of the Thai sweet chili sauce as it add a bit more spice and balances the flavors 🙂
Can you please add the nutritional info (calories/serving) here please. Thank you!
Hi Nadia! I don’t have the nutrition information calculated for this recipe. If you’d like to get the information, you can simply pop the URL of this page into myfitnesspal and it will auto-populate it for you. You can also then edit the recipe with the brand of hot sauce you used, etc. for more accurate nutritional content! Hope that helps!
These were great!
Love hearing that! Thank you for circling back to leave a comment, Sharon 🙂
Love these!!
Made this for dinner with a side of cauliflower rice. So good and so easy! Highly recommend.
Low on time can I use crockpot to heat meatballs? And add sauce? Should I still cook sauce on stove?
This was an amazing hit. I love the sauce. Next time I won’t overcook it so it won’t be dry but it was delicious
One of our favorite recipes. Always double up on the sauce. These disappear very quickly.
Hi, can these firecracker meatballs be frozen?
Has anyone frozen the chicken balls then added the sauce when baking? I love make ahead recipes.
I freeze them all the time, just warm in oven.
I have even frozen the sauce.
They seem to have more flavour as well.
Very good. I wish I could share a pic. This is spicy! My stepdad wouldn’t like it. But, the rest of the house should be fine.
I just made these little guys and OH MAN THEY ARE TASTY! I halved the meatball recipe because I only had one pound of chicken and no turkey but I made the full recipe for the sauce. Because I jumped ahead and didn’t read the recipe all the way beforehand, a big no-no, I browned them on the stovetop and then put them in the oven. Then I basted them like twice and finished it off with the rest of the sauce. My husband scarfed down two right away and I downed like three. Our daughter’s friend’s eyes bugged out when she tasted them and declared them “the best things EVER!” I will definitely be making these again and again. And again. And again. So good! Thanks for sharing this delightful recipe!
I made the sauce w cholula and used frozen meatballs, super good. But my husband dipped his grilled shrimp in the extra sauce,mmmmmmmm. Skipping meatballs next time!
I made this tonight and it was amazing! This is a keeper! The sauce can be used on chicken wings and even steak.
This was a hit!! I did double up the sauce. Definitely a keeper. I do think I will reduce the size of them next time.
Is there a recomendation on how to make meaning, bake the chicken balls ahead of time, and rewarm when time to serve? Don’t want them to dry out!
I gave it 5 stars because the sauce is great and the meatball mixture.. That said, I get those who have said they use turkey vs chicken due to texture . Did not care for the texture of ground chicken and have a issue eating something so white. Not sure I would like turkey better. I have never cooked with ground turkey or chicken and honestly don’t think I will after this. If it’s beef based, I don’t substitute to make it ‘healthier’ beef it’s good for you. Great recipe, that I will try with my usual go to, ground sirloin. Made half the recipe but used the amounts to have extra sauce as suggested. Again as suggested in recipe, 1/4 of crushed pepper for less spicy. For us it had a nice amount of heat with sweet.
I made these last night and they were delicious! Pretty easy too. I used pre-made chicken meatballs from my local market and then coated them in Panko and the Firecracker sauce. Everyone loved them! Thanks 🙂
Delicious! Loved the sauce! Didn’t baste mine as some of the family don’t like spice as much as I do. But instead just poured it over the meat balls and some rice. Delicious dinner!
These are really tasty! Used fresh garlic and green onions vs. garlic and onion powders. Very spicy! Enjoyed them with steamed zucchini, but rice would be a nice touch, and maybe some fresh pineapple on the side to cleanse and cool the palette. A fresh citrus-based IPA would also pair well. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe.
Can you mix the hot sauce with tomato sauce in order not to use so much hot sauce?
The Firecracker Chicken meatballs looks yummy and seems easy to make. My question could I make them weeks early? Are they ok to freeze as well? Thanks!
With 4 boys between the ages of 15 and 19 plus one husband, the odds of them all liking the same thing are slim to none…but everyone loved this! They all demanded that I print it so I don’t forget to make it again Thanks for such a great and simple recipe!
Can I leave out brown sugar or substitute foe something healthier?
I have made these many times and they have become a favorite at every gathering! They are fantastic!!!
I have made these many times and they are absolutely delicious. Followed the recipe exactly as published. So yummy.
This recipe is one of the best things I’ve found on the internet involving cooking. I have made this for dinner many times as well as in a larger batch for a party.
The flavor is awesome and I always get compliments for its taste.
Seriously, as a husband who doesn’t have many recipes up his sleeve, this one is a game changer! Thank you for this recipe
I love this recipe. It’s easy and delicious. Can the meatballs be frozen and baked the following day? It would be nicer served hot as an appetizer.
My sister and I will be out-of-state for two weeks. I’m definitely going to make the meat balls for my spoiled nephew before my sister and I leave.
Wow.. these were good! The only modification I made was to cut all the ingredients in half. I realized just as I was starting to make them that I had only defrosted 1 pound of ground chicken breast. The only modification I would make in the future is to not add the red pepper flakes. Meatballs were super spicy but very addicting!
This is delicious! Has been added into our families dinner rotation!
Sounds yummy. Can I make in the crockpot? If yes, how long?
I serve them with mashed potatoes and lemon butter broccoli. That way you balance the heat with creaminess and you balance the richness with citrus.
Can you make these meatballs the night before?
I love this recipe! My son-in-law requested these for his birthday party. It’s just the right combination of sweet and heat. To save time, I sometimes use a good quality frozen chicken meatball. I like beatnik organic chicken meatballs from the freezer section.
These are amazing!! Added them to my rotation! Hit with my s/o and with my coworkers!
I love this recipe and have made it a number of times. 5star rating.
A question, can I make the meatballs ahead and flash freeze them and then bake them on the day of from frozen? It would be helpful as there is so much to do on the day of the event. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Can these be air fried?
I read all these comments waiting to see if anyone tried air frying them. So, what’s the answer people?
Excellent, had ground chicken I needed to use up. Will definitely make again. Easy as well. Doesn’t have a million ingredients, all things I have in my pantry anyway.
Receipe was amazing and easy to follow. I substituted chicken for ground rabbit. Was a hit with the husband and kids will me making it again!
I have made these so many times for Wedding after parties, birthdays, BBQ etc etc etc.
I love them so much.
I put some sesame seeds (a mix of black and normal ones) these ones and they look great.
Followed recipe exactly and it was perfect. Made Xtra and froze for later. Perfect for a crowd.
Taste was on point! Doubled the sauce and made it as a stir fry dinner. One question- why such a high temp in the oven? Created so much smoke. Maybe because I didn’t use parchment paper? But I kept turning the meatballs so they didn’t burn . Just created so much smoke. Nothing on the bottom of my oven. Used cooking spray on the baking pans. Ended up cooking them at 400 the rest of the time and for longer until done.
Quick, easy and delicious! Made 2 different batches of sauce, one (per the recipe) for myself and a not-so-spicy one for my husband. (I used 1/4c ketchup and 1/4c Frank’s and no red pepper flakes). He still thought it was too peppery, so next time I’ll halve the amount of black pepper, but it was perfect for me! Oh, I like low sodium, so I only used a dash of salt, but you don’t miss the salt due to the great sauce. Thank you for a winner!
Fantastic recipe! I’ve already shared it with my sisters. I made a mistake the first time by over-baking the meatballs so they were a little hard. I used a product ‘Alfresco Seasoned Ground Chicken Italian Style’, which has red&green peppers and is already seasoned with salt. Plus I used Truvia/Brown Sugar blend to cut the calories/glycemic spike.
The sauce is splendid and works well with shrimp. Thanks!
We LOVED this recipe and can’t wait to make again! I doubled sauce and will again. I eliminated red pepper flakes and it was plenty hot. I added 2 teaspoons dried parsley for color. Used a small ice cream scoop to form. They were AWESOME. Cold was our favorite way to enjoy them. Next time I’m going to add chopped water chestnuts and maybe sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds when done cooking. I live at 6,445’ and will convection bake at lower temperature next time – I forgot first try to adjust oven temp for my altitude. Thank you! ❤️
Loved these Firecracker Chicken Meatballs! Preparation was easy and was made on a weeknight as the main entree. Served with pasta (oilo e aglio) and roasted asparagus. I’ve never made a sauce with 1/2 c. hot sauce and red pepper flakes and was worried that it would be too hot/spicy, even though we love that type of food. I’m pleased to say, it was just right, the blandness of the ground chicken tempers the spiciness of the sauce. We loved it! Needless to say, this will be made again in our home. I can see a future of using shrimp and this wonderful, spicy sauce.
Can I use sriracha instead of Franks hot sauce?
These are the bomb. So good. Kids and I loved them. And healthy.
Hi, these sound so yummy, and I can’t wait to try them! Thank you for sharing. I need to make something at the same time, and I was wondering if I could bake them on 350 instead? If so, do you know how long they should bake for?
Thank you!
We made these tonight and they were delicious! To the sauce I also added 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce and I used 1/2 cup brown stevia instead of 1 cup of sugar. So good! We served with lemon-garlic zucchini noodles. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yummy. I made these keto by changing the Panko to ground pork rinds and substituted brown sugar with 1/2 cup of Splenda for baking.
I make lot of your delicious receipe I definitely will try fire cracker meat balls
Thank beta Marzia
Shama Khala
I made these for a family Christmas party and they were a big hit! Luckily I made a double batch so we will have some for home. I will definitely make these again.
Hello,
Id like to make these for an app at my sons rehearsal dinner for 80 people… can I make them ahead of time and serve them at room temp? Will they still taste good? Or reheat?
thank you!
OMG these are the best. The first time I did it exactly as written but did not add the red pepper flakes as after tasting the sauce I thought it would be too spicy for some people.
The second time I added 2 teaspoons of salt and smoked paprika and 1 1/2 onion powder. I cooked them at 475 for 11 minutes liked the browning but the internal temp was 192. My daughter liked the browning of the first ones but the second one cooked to 165 was juicy?? still deciding which one on the doneness. Either way you can’t go wrong so YUMMY. These are a little spicy.
I just made these and they are AH-mazing! The only thing I did different was use “everything but the bagel flavored bread crumbs” because I didn’t have panko on-hand – I used slight less than the recipe called for so the meatballs wouldn’t be too tough. It worked out great! This recipe is going to be in my regular rotation. We ate the meatballs over rice with cooked sugar snap peas. Delicious!
In the picture it looks like there are fine pieces of basil or cilantro. Is that included in the recipe?
Wow! This was SO good. Double the sauce recipe, you will need it because it’s incredible. Easy to follow recipe & instructions. My husband is reluctant to try new foods & he loved this. Said it tasted like the filling for potstickers.
Love these! Easy & made as an entree with white rice. Poured the sauce on top. It’s a keeper!
AMAZING! Just had meatballs tonight, as we weren’t super hungry, but I can’t wait to make this and serve over rice or pasta, topped with a bit of bleu cheese and broccoli on side (w some sauce).
Freezing the remaining raw meatballs, based on other MB recipes I’ve made, this should freeze just fine. Next time,may try with the panko soaked in some milk (makes just slightly softer balls).
YUM!
…..OH. And I used Frank’s WING sauce instead of the hot sauce, ‘cause that’s all I had. The sauce is thick and decadent!
These are the best meatballs EVER! Making another batch tonight for dinner…YUMMY!
These were a hit. My friend commented these were the best meatballs he had ever eaten. I am not a spicy eater, so I just put a few red pepper flakes in. I doubled the sauce recipe and served it with blue cheese dressing. The sauce reminds me of Popeye’s Sweet Heat sauce. Planning on making a chicken “meatloaf” using this recipe. When I make meatballs, I place the mixture in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours, before rolling it into balls, They are easier to shape, are not sticky, and hold together very well. Great recipe!
I made this with gluten free panko and it turned out perfect! Served over some spring mix to look fancy and a little bowl of extra sauce. It was a hit. Will make again! Wish I new how to post a pic
LOVE this! I am a huge chicken fan and these meatballs and sauce are AMAZING!
Great amount of heat and flavor. Meatballs were juicy. Thank you.
Fantastic!
I made this for a game day party tonight. They were a HIT! I did put the sauce on the side just in case, but followed the instructions to a T. Everyone asked for the recipe, will be making it again!
I love this recipe and make it often! I am making it tonight for our condo association Christmas party!
Can you keep these warm in a crockpot?
Hello. These are delicious. Wondering what is the best method of reheating if making a day ahead? I’d like to make these for Xmas and keep warm in my crockpot.
call me crazy- but when i read the recipe it does not include the amount of several ingredients: paprika, hot sauce, salt and red pepper flakes.
Can you give me some guidance on this please? I want to make these for Christmas
I LOVE this recipe! I make it all the time! Thank you for sharing!!
I love this recipe, halves well too. I’ve been adding 1 can chopped/diced water chestnuts and like the additional texture & crunch. Great with half lean ground pork and half chicken. Have used all fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 1/2 cups) instead of panko with wonderful tender results. Highly recommended!
Made these for a baby shower this past weekend. Very well received and all were eaten lol. For me personally, they were a bit too sweet even though I added 1/4c cider vin as opposed to just 2T. I will make these again but perhaps do 2T cider and 2T white distilled vinegar. Wonderful and pretty easy appetizer though and a good recipe to have in the repertoire. Thanks!
How would you reheat them? I am thinking a sauce pan on low not the microwave? I made these for a party last year and YES!! so good.
Don’t change a thing about this recipe, it is spot on! They are delicious, easy, and yes freezer friendly as I have froze them . I make jasmine rice and steam broccoli florets, perfect meal. Thank you
Good recipe- but my sauce turns grainy when it cools- not sure how to prevent this?
We loved these! Yummy and super easy!! You would think it would be overly spicy but it was perfection. I split the sauce in half and brushed half on them and left the other half for drizzling. My children and husband all loved them. Served with a grilled vegetable salad and some brown rice – perfection!
I just made these and my husband and I are going crazy -they are so flavorful and delicious! The firecracker sauce is perfect. Just the right amount of heat!
Thank you so much.