Korean BBQ Chicken Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze

These Korean-Inspired BBQ Chicken Meatballs are a crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s perfect for parties, game days, or a family dinner. They pair tender, oven-baked chicken meatballs with a glossy, spicy-sweet Korean-style BBQ sauce that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. Make them ahead, brush with sauce just before a final bake, and finish with sesame seeds and scallions for a fresh, restaurant-style presentation.

The meatballs themselves are intentionally simple so the flavor spotlight stays on the sauce. While the meatballs bake, the sauce simmers on the stovetop until it’s thick, glossy, and full of deep umami flavor from gochujang and coconut aminos. Serve on a platter with toothpicks for a fuss-free appetizer, or serve over steamed rice or cauliflower rice for a complete meal.

Korean-Inspired BBQ sauce ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup gochujang paste
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 to 4 teaspoons tapioca flour (for slurry)

Korean-Inspired BBQ Chicken Meatballs: Step-by-Step

Step One: Form and Bake the Meatballs

Combine the meatball ingredients in a bowl, mix gently until just combined, then roll into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F (convection recommended) until golden brown and cooked through—about 20 minutes.

Step Two: Make the Korean-Inspired BBQ Sauce

While the meatballs bake, prepare the sauce on the stovetop. Sauté sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until fragrant. Whisk in gochujang, coconut aminos, chicken broth, vinegar, coconut sugar, and honey. Simmer about 8 minutes to concentrate flavors, then whisk in a tapioca slurry and cook until the sauce is thick and glossy. Adjust thickness with a little more slurry if needed.

Step Three: Finish the Meatballs and Serve

When the meatballs are done, brush the tops with about 1/2 cup of the prepared sauce and return them to the oven for 3–5 minutes so the sauce can caramelize slightly. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter, spoon the remaining sauce over them, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions. Serve with toothpicks and enjoy warm.

Recipe FAQs

These Korean-Inspired BBQ Chicken Meatballs are designed to be approachable and adaptable. You can scale the recipe up for a larger crowd, prepare the meatballs ahead and reheat with sauce, or turn the leftovers into a quick rice bowl. Try swapping honey for maple syrup if preferred, or adjust gochujang to control heat.

More appetizer ideas

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Korean-Inspired BBQ Chicken Meatballs

Total time: 45 mins   |   Yield: about 35 meatballs

Ingredients

For the Chicken Meatballs:

• 2 pounds ground chicken (preferably ground chicken thigh)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free panko recommended if needed)

For the Korean-Inspired BBQ Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-inch knob ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup gochujang paste
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 to 4 teaspoons tapioca flour (for slurry)

For Serving:

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• Toothpicks

Instructions

Make the Chicken Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (convection bake if available). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with avocado oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, eggs, avocado oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and panko breadcrumbs. Mix until just combined; avoid overworking the meat.
3. Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake until cooked through and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, Make the Korean-Inspired BBQ Sauce

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes—do not let the garlic burn.
2. Whisk in the gochujang, coconut aminos, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes to meld flavors and reduce slightly. If the sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer.
3. In a small bowl, combine 3 teaspoons tapioca flour with 2 tablespoons warm water to form a slurry. While stirring the sauce, slowly whisk in the slurry and continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 5 more minutes. If needed, mix the remaining 1 teaspoon tapioca flour with 1 tablespoon water and add to reach desired thickness.
4. Remove the sauce from heat and set aside until the meatballs are ready.

Finish the Meatballs

1. When the meatballs are just cooked through, remove them from the oven. Drizzle with about 1/2 cup of the sauce and use a pastry brush to coat the tops evenly.
2. Return the meatballs to the oven and bake 3–5 minutes until the sauce begins to caramelize.
3. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter, pour the remaining sauce over them, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve with toothpicks.

Notes

Alternate Serving Options: These meatballs are perfect as an appetizer, but they also work well as a main served over steamed rice or cauliflower rice. For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free panko. Adjust the amount of gochujang to control the spice level.