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These Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Butter are full of fresh, spicy, salty, tangy, flavors, and so simple. Made with flavorful Thai red curry paste, creamy coconut milk, and a quick homemade curry powder. The meatballs are seasoned, mixed, rolled, baked until crispy, and then served in a creamy curry sauce with spicy chili garlic butter. A side of rice soaks up all that yummy curry sauce, so delicious with fresh herbs and lime.
You know my oldest brother Creighton is influencing my recipes whenever I share meatballs. I used to hate making meatballs, but he’s helped me see the light. I try to get creative with them any time I feel like I need to switch my recipes up a bit.
I’ve been craving nothing but color for the last few weeks. The picture/dream I have in my head every day is this – I want everything I make and share with you to be bright, fresh, full of herbs, and in general the most delicious recipe you’ll make that week. Like the most delicious.
It’s a high-achieving, high-expectation approach, but I want everything to be pretty and yummy!!
It’s difficult to execute though. Food changes quickly, the light moves, and being creative can be hard, but some recipes, like this one, just work. I adore this recipe, the simplicity of it, and the color. It’s not my prettiest recipe, but all the color, the ease, and the flavor is here.
I’m excited to share this recipe, it’s so delicious!!!
Details
Usually, I’ll order spicy curry powder on Amazon, but when I’m out, I always make my own curry blend. It takes 5 extra minutes, but I always love customizing the spices. I add lots of cumin and ginger with a touch of paprika, cayenne, and cinnamon, it’s the perfect blend.
I shared the recipe in the notes, I use it a lot for chicken and salmon. Of course, you can also just use store-bought spicy curry powder. I’d add some cayenne or chili flakes to make it spicer!
Mix the meatballs, I love using a mix of ground chicken and ground pork. Add the curry powder, a drizzle of Tamari, shallots, and black pepper to the meat. You don’t need to add garlic since that’s going in the butter!
Once the meatballs are mixed, bake until crispy. This is my favorite easy, mess-free, way to cook any kind of meatball. No splattering!
I kept the sauce really simple: butter, ginger, and lots of Thai red curry paste. Coconut milk keeps it creamy, and tamari adds a little salty flavor.
Finish cooking the meatballs in the curry sauce so they stay really tender and flavorful.
The last step is the garlic butter. Brown the butter, garlic, and chili flakes until the butter turns golden and the garlic crisps. Drizzle the garlic butter over the meatballs just before serving. It makes every bite melt in your mouth.
Serve the meatballs and sauce over rice with lots of chopped cilantro or try some Thai basil.
This is such a simple, wholesome, and delicious meal. Love that!
Looking for other dinner recipes? Here are my favorites:
Black Pepper Chicken and Bacon Quesadillas with Avocado Basil Ranch
Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles
One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Honey Garlic Salmon Soba Noodle Bowls
Coconut Milk Braised Black Pepper Chicken
Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter
Lastly, if you make this Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Butter, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Butter
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 507 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or ground pork
- 1-2 tablespoons spicy curry powder
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 shallot, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 orange or red bell peppers, sliced
- 2 cups canned full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup chopped Thai basil, or cilantro
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- limes, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.2. Add the chicken, curry powder, shallot, 1 tablespoon tamari/soy, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-20 meatballs) placing them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until the meatballs are crisp.3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt together 1 tablespoon butter, the curry paste, and ginger. Cook, 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the peppers, coconut milk, 3 tablespoons tamari/soy sauce, and fish sauce. Slide the meatballs into the sauce and simmer 5 minutes, or until cooked through. 4. Meanwhile, melt 5 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook until the butter is browning and the garlic crisps.5. Serve the meatballs and sauce over bowls of rice. Drizzle the butter over the meatballs and top with basil or cilantro.
Notes
Spicy Curry Powder:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
kosher salt and black pepper Mix everything to combine. Makes 2-3 tablespoons.
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
kosher salt and black pepper Mix everything to combine. Makes 2-3 tablespoons.
Another big thumbs up from me and the hubby! I don’t like ground chicken, so I used half ground turkey, half ground pork for the meatballs. I used a cookie scoop to form the meatballs instead of my hands. And they took 20 min to bake, not 10 like the recipe said. Maybe because mine were a different meat? Not sure. Also, I cut way back on the cayenne and chili flakes because I’m very sensitive to them. All in all, delicious flavors…similar to another one of your recipes that has thai flavors and ends with a garlic butter over the top, but I’m not recalling exactly which one right now.
Hey Melanie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry you had to cook your meatballs longer, could have been the pork! So glad to hear this was enjoyed! xT
This was really good. I did make the butter and garlic. What I don’t use I will pour over vegetables and roast them. Forgot the cilantro.
Hey Carole,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
This recipe is fabulous!! My entire family LOVED it! I will absolutely be making it again.
Hi Laura,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad it was delish! Have a great weekend:) xx
Really good, but the garlic butter seems superfluous and I will omit next time. The red curry base is delicious.
Prep time is more than 15 min and I’m an efficient chopper and mis en placer.
Hey Jeremy,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, I am thrilled that it turned out well for you! ☀️🍉
Would love if you listed which cookbook recipes can be found in. I own them all and love them.
Hi Cindy,
None of these recipes are in the cookbooks:) The recipes that are in the books are exclusive to the cookbooks. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Amazing! Tastes like authentic Thai red curry!!
Thanks so much Sharon!! So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it:) xx
Made this for my husband and his buddy. We all loved it. I used ground pork since that’s what I had and it was yummy. I decided to make it when I saw Creighton video when you told him it was pork. 😂 The only thing I omitted was the fresh herbs at end because I didn’t have them, but will for sure make sure they’re included next time!
Hey LuAnn,
Lol too funny!! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and with the pork too:) Thanks for making it! xT
I made this last night with a couple of small adjustments. I made the garlic butter in the skillet before making the sauce to save dirtying another dish. I also scaled back on both the butter and the soy sauce.
Honestly, I didn’t care for the garlic at first. Added to the rest of the dish, however, raised the taste to another level.
This also made great leftovers for lunch the next day. I think the flavors were even better the second time around.
Hey Djienne,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, I am thrilled that it turned out well for you! ☀️🍉
It looks like there are slices of something under the meatballs which I can’t figure out?
Hi there,
I think it’s the bell peppers you are seeing:) Let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
This recipe was delicious, but way too much butter. I used 2 tablespoons and Caramelized the garlic before adding the coconut milk etc. omitted the 5 tablespoons of butter at the end and it was still so good!
Hi Bonnie,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! xT
Made this tonight, Delicious!! The family loved it. The sauce is so good. I made the meatballs with ground Turkey and they were really good. This is a do-over. My son is moving out soon and wants this recipe, especially since his friend Gray is your cousin!!
Hey Tanya,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! Lol too funny! xT
No nutrition listed????
Hi Kerri,
We will add the estimated calorie count:) Happy Thursday! xx
This recipe looks delicious! I was wondering if you can use an air fryer when cooking the chicken meatballs? If so, what temperature should I use and how long should the meatballs cook? Thank you.
Thanks Marsha!! Sorry, I haven’t tested the meatballs in an air fryer so I don’t know the exact time and temp, but I bet it would work well for you:) Let me know if you give it a try! xT
So your spice curry powder has no curry?
Toni – curry powder is a MIXTURE of spices. There is no such thing as as A spice called curry.
Hi Toni,
Correct, curry powder is a blend of spices:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Where can we find the nutritional information? As a diabetic I always need to check carbs before cooking. Thanks!
Hey Kristen,
So sorry, we only have the estimated calorie count listed above the ingredient list! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
There is no estimated calorie count
There is no estimated calorie count listed above the ingredient list. Can you list it in the comment section or update the web page?
Yes, will get that added:)