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Sheet Pan Sticky Gochujang Chicken Meatballs…easy homemade chicken meatballs with ginger and sesame, tossed in an addicting sweet and spicy Korean-inspired sauce. Serve up bowl style over steamed rice with roasted with broccoli, creamy spicy aioli sauce, and vegetables. Then top with plenty of sesame seeds for a fun and healthy dinner any night of the week. And the best part…these meatballs are made quicker than any take-out meal, and they’re so much healthier too.
And here we are again with meatballs. You’ll know my oldest brother is in town when meatballs make yet another appearance here. Along with those Cheesy Gordita Crunch Tacos, meatballs are one of his favorite foods. Put them in a spicy, sticky Korean sauce…oh, ya, even better!
I made these meatballs the other day with him in mind. I have to say, I think I’m just as excited as he is over these Korean-inspired meatballs. Not only are they part of a complete sheet pan dinner. They also take no time to make and are so delicious. Think, saucy, sweet, and spicy, with a touch of tang, and toasty sesame seeds throughout.
I even added a bit of broccoli to round out the meal…and not one, but two sauces.
So you see, the perfect, easy, but fun weeknight dinner.
Let’s go through the details.
For the meat, I used ground chicken, but ground pork or turkey will work just as well. I seasoned them up with plenty of green onions, ginger, and garlic. Then oven-baked them on a sheet pan alongside some broccoli for added color. Plus, I just love the idea of a one-pan dinner. And if you can cook your meat and vegetables at the very same time, then why not? I am all about it.
While the meatballs bake, make the sauce. Now here’s the truth, the sauce is really why you should make this recipe. It’s honestly so addicting. Sweet, tangy, a touch spicy, and once boiled down, super sticky. This is a pretty simple mix of Gochujang (Korean chili paste), soy sauce, and sesame oil. The Gochujang adds all the flavor, so you really don’t need much else. I boiled it down on the stove to make it a little stickier, which is perfect for tossing with the meatballs.
The sauce takes only a few minutes to thicken up on the stove. It’s usually ready by the time the meatballs have finished cooking. Once the sauce has boiled down, I like to make a creamy “special sauce” sauce for drizzling over the meatballs. Just stir a couple of tablespoons of the Gochujang sauce into yogurt or mayo. This sauce is beyond good.
Toss the rest of the sauce with the meatballs and you’re done. Add rice to your bowls, then snuggle in the broccoli and meatballs. Add extra sauce and finish with any and all toppings you’d like. I always do plenty of sesame seeds, chilies, and kimchi.
Nothing fancy here, just simple cooking, but very delicious (pretty healthy food).
A couple of notes.
What is Gochujang? If you’re not familiar with Gochujang it’s Korean chili paste. For those of you who read often, you know it’s my favorite type of chile paste. It’s spicy with a little sweetness, and it’s extremely flavorful. It’s traditional in a lot of Korean-based sauces and is often used in Korean fried chicken or simply as a dipping sauce. Over here, we LOVE Gochujang. I use it for so much more than just Korean food. It’s so good when paired with…well pretty much anything that you’d enjoy with a touch of hot sauce.
You can buy Gochujang in most grocery stores. I know Whole Foods and Trader Joes carry it. I highly recommend this brand Gochujang. It certainly makes for the best, truly Korean food.
I really can’t tell you enough how much I love these Korean-inspired meatballs. I’ll be turning to this one time and time again. Sheet pan dinners are always my go-to, but this is a new favorite.
It’s all about the sticky Korean sauce and that creamy, yet spicy “special sauce”. Together, they truly make everything that much better.
My final words, double the recipe and save the leftovers for quick and easy lunches. Trust me you will be so happy you did!
Looking for other easy weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites.
Better Than Takeout Dan Dan Noodles
Sheet Pan Roasted Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon with Feta and Olives
Lastly, if you make these Sheet Pan Sticky Gochujang Chicken Meatballs 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!
Sheet Pan Sticky Gochujang Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
Sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or avocado oil mayo
- rice, sesame seeds, chiles, and Kimchi, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.2. To make the meatballs. Add the chicken, soy sauce, Gochujang, green onions, ginger, and garlic, to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, and roll the meat into rounded tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-16 meatballs). Place on the prepared baking sheet. The mix will be wet, but it will firm up in the oven. Add the broccoli to the other side of the baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through.3. Meanwhile, make the sticky Gochujang sauce. In a small pot, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, Gochujang, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water. Bring the sauce to a boil for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces by about 1/4. Remove from the heat.4. Remove the broccoli from the baking sheet. Pour about half the sauce over the meatballs, tossing to combine. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce coats the meatballs.5. Combine 2-3 tablespoons of the remaining sticky Gochujang sauce from step 3 with the yogurt. 6. Serve the meatballs and sauce over bowls of rice topped with additional green onions, and sesame seeds. Serve the broccoli on the side.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
These were fun to make and a huge hit – my boyfriend said it’s the best meal he’s had in a long time.
Hey Michelle,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This was so delicious and easy! My husband and I finished all but 4 meatballs which one of us can have for lunch. I used Thai chili garlic paste in place of the Gochujang and I served it over coconut jasmine rice. Definitely a keeper! Love your Instagram posts!
Hey Becky,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Made this tonight and the whole family enjoyed it. Creamy sauce took the dish to the next level. I’ll be freezing the rest of the Gochujang in an ice cube tray so I don’t waste the rest of the jar. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hey Ashley,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Love this recipe. Watched your video but when I went to make it a couple days later, I cant find the video anymore. I can find the recipe but no video. Is there somewhere where I can find it again? Thanks so much
Hey Rona,
So sorry, the video was not saved to IG highlights. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved all the flavors and adding the cucumbers and green onions made a nice crunch!
Hey Kathy,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I don’t know why but the meatballs were just not good the sauce was, but overall I would not make this again
Hey Marie,
So sorry you did not enjoy this recipe, let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
I made these with pork and they were deeeelicious! But I do have two questions – whenever i make meatballs (no matter what meat) I always feel like they end up sitting in their juices and are more “squishy” then they should be, but they are fully cooked. What am I doing wrong?
Also, whenever a recipe says to wait until the sauce thickens, I feel like it never actually thickens. What am i missing?! Maybe its the type of pot? Too much liquid? Help!
Hey Anya,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! For the meatball thing, I would recommend getting a baking rack to fit inside of your baking sheet, that way all of the extra juices can drip onto the pan. Corn starch always helps a sauce to thicken if it is not thickening. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Made these last night. DELISH! And so easy to put together. The sauce is addictive. Another great recipe from halfbakedharvest! Thanks Tieghan!!!
Hey Judy,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This was amazing!! I will definitely be making it again.
Hey Rachael,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This was so good! I did 2 tbsp of the Gochujang and it was a smidge too spicy for me (i am weak in the spice department). Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Hey Caitlin,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Sounds tasty. Have you tried with ground beef or pork? Hubby doesn’t care for ground chicken or Turkey. Can’t wait to try!
Hey Barbie,
Either one would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Goodness! I am so very glad that I doubled this one! I thought I’d have leftovers around for a few days, but my husband who doesn’t like ‘spicy’ food actually loved these. So easy, and just the most delicious sauce. Thank you, T! Another home run thanks to you. 🙂
Hey Maryellen,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Sooo good. Made this tonight after a long snow/remote learning day with the kids. Super quick and easy. I opted for the 2 tbls of chili sauce and probably skimped on the honey. Next time I will increase the honey slightly.
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Would maple syrup work in place of honey?
Hey Melanie,
Yes, that would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
SORRY Just realized i overlooked the serving size.
No worries, hope you love it!