Asian Chicken Meatballs over Sesame Noodles

These Asian chicken meatballs taste like the filling of a wonton

These meatballs are very similar to the filing of a dumpling or wonton without the wrapper. My family really enjoys them. They are gluten-free and dairy-free and can easily be made paleo. I recently brought these Asian chicken meatballs over sesame noodles to a party. It was a big hit! For a paleo version, serve them over zucchini noodles and check the ingredient list; there are a few adjustments.

Asian Chicken Meatballs over Sesame Noodles

Makes 12-14 meatballs

1 pound ground chicken thigh

1 egg (for egg-free, use a flax or chia sub)

1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free/paleo)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sherry

2 minced garlic cloves

2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger

2-3 scallions minced (white and some green)

¼ teaspoon sea or kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper

Optional: ¼ cup minced water chestnuts

Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Ingredients for the meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a baking sheet by placing a silicone mat or parchment paper on top.
2. Combine all ingredients except garnish in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined then mix briskly for 30 seconds to help the meatballs to stick together.
3. Roll meatballs that are about 1 ½” in diameter, about the size of a golf ball.
4. Place on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and no longer pink inside and/or the internal temperature is at least 165 F.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

I use rice sticks for this dish but any gluten-free pasta will work

Sesame Rice Noodles

This is the easy part! Simply follow the directions on the package which involves boiling for a short time then rinsing. For the above amount of meatballs, I used about 1/2 of a package.

Allow the noodles to rest a little or make sure they are drained well so they aren’t watery. Put them in a bowl and toss with (approximately for every cup of noodles) 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 chopped scallion (white and a little green), 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and some chopped cilantro.

Once the meatballs are cooked, serve them on top of the noodles and drizzle a little more sesame oil, gluten-free soy sauce and a touch of honey or agave. Garnish with sesame seeds.