Butter Chicken Meatballs

These Butter Chicken Meatballs are going to blow your mind! Boasting big flavor in a creamy sauce spiced to perfection, and simple meatballs made lean with ground chicken. Served as an appetizer, party snack, or a main dish, this recipe will always be a crowdpleaser.

I’ve been craving a big helping of butter chicken these days! The creamy sauce, tender pieces of chicken, all served over a bed of warm rice and a side of buttery naan. Isn’t it just so dreamy? It’s exactly what I crave when I want to treat myself to something special.

Since I haven’t posted a meatball recipe in a while, I figured I’d combine the urgency for a new meatball recipe on the blog with my cravings. Let me tell you; it turned out incredible. I mean, it’s not all that different from a regular butter chicken! After trying this version with those juicy and flavorful meatballs, I think I actually prefer it over the original recipe.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

• Onion – I used half a white onion. You can use a full small onion if that’s what you have. Instead of chopping the onion try grating it, this is so much better for meatballs, no more huge chunks of onion in your meatballs.
• Breadcrumbs – I used panko. Regular breadcrumbs will also work.
• Ground chicken – Or ground turkey.
• Egg – One large egg.
• Cilantro – Freshly chopped both for the meatballs and as a garnish. You can use parsley instead if you don’t like cilantro.
• Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
• Olive oil – Avocado, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, vegetable, or canola oils will work instead.
• Butter – Unsalted.
• Garlic & ginger – I used fresh, however you can use jarred if you have it handy.
• Tomato passata – Or tomato sauce.
• Tomato paste – Make sure you’ve grabbed tomato paste, it will be very thick, this will give the sauce a richer taste.
• Spices – garam masala, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, and coriander.
• Chicken broth – Low sodium.
• Heavy cream – Anything 35%+. If you want lower fat, you can go as low as 10%.

How to make butter chicken meatballs

1. Mix the meatballs: Mix the onion and breadcrumbs together in a large mixing bowl. Let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the meatball ingredients, excluding the oil, to the bowl. Mix everything together well.
2. Form the meatballs: Using 2 tbsp at a time, depending how large you’d like them, form the mixture into meatballs. Dip your hands in water if you find the mixture it getting sticky. I got about 20 meatballs.
3. Cook the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, working in batches if needed. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until well browned. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and set aside.
4. Start the sauce: Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in the garlic and ginger, then cook for 1 minute. Add the passata, tomato paste, garam masala, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chicken broth.
5. Finish the sauce: Stir everything together and bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the sauce cook for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickens. Stir in the cream.
6. Add the meatballs: Add the meatballs back to the skillet and let them simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes to heat through. Turn off the heat, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

I can’t find garam masala

This aromatic mixture of spices is a must-have for many different cuisines around the world, and especially recreating Indian cuisine. You can make a quick replacement using 1 part cumin to 1/4 part allspice, or you can go all out with this homemade rendition:

• 1 tbsp cumin, ground
• 2 tsp coriander, ground
• 2 tsp cardamom, ground
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1 tsp pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 tsp cloves, ground

Garam masala blends can contain over 30 ingredients so if you have to opportunity, grabbing a good quality garam masala from a spice specialty shop will go a long way! Other blends like masala curry powder, sambhar masala, chaat masala, or ras el hanout can be used instead of garam masala.

How to serve

These would be a great addition to an appetizer table or contribution to a potluck! We always see the same rendition of meatballs in a sweet and savory sauce served at parties. Time to bring something different to the table, literally!

When I made these meatballs we enjoyed them as a main course. I steamed a pot of white rice and cooked up a batch of fresh naan. It was absolutely perfect!

Leftovers

Transfer all your leftover butter chicken meatballs to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can reheat in the microwave, but make sure to cover the leftovers to avoid splatters. You’ll need to reheat until the meatballs are warmed through, so the sauce will end up getting quite hot.

You can also reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop. Transfer them to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce and meatballs are heated through. You can add a splash or chicken broth or water if you find the sauce is reducing too much.

How to freeze leftovers

If you’re planning on turning these butter chicken meatballs into a freezer meal, I would suggest freezing the sauce and meatballs separately. They will last 3-4 months frozen.

Place the cooked meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover them with plastic wrap. Freeze for 1-2 hours, or until solid. Then, you can transfer all the meatballs to a large airtight container or freezer bag. Make sure the sauce is fully cooled down before transferring it to an airtight container and freezing.

To reheat, you can microwave the sauce or heat it up in a skillet. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the frozen chicken meatballs on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Add the meatballs to the sauce and serve.

Did you love this recipe? Try these:

• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• Baked Tandoori Chicken
• Chicken Korma
• Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
• French Onion Chicken Meatballs
• Thai Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
• Turkey Meatballs