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Butter Chicken Meatballs
4.9 from 120 votes

Butter Chicken Meatballs

These Butter Chicken Meatballs combine ground chicken seasoned with yellow curry powder and fresh cilantro, baked until tender, then simmered in a spiced sauce of butter, onion, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken stock. The rich sauce finishes with heavy cream, yielding a creamy, mildly spiced dish that balances warmth from the spices with the delicacy of chicken meatballs, ideal as a hearty main course with rice or bread.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • ½ onion diced, medium sweet
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and diced, optional
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger freshly grated
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric ground
  • 1 tomato sauce 8-ounce can
  • 1 tomato paste 6-ounce can
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock
  • salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
For the meatballs
  • 1 ½ pounds ground chicken
  • ½ cup panko
  • 1 egg large
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro fresh, chopped leaves
  • 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
  • salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. To make the meatballs, combine chicken, Panko, egg, cilantro, curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-to-1-inch meatballs, forming about 36-40 meatballs.
  3. Place meatballs in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until lightly browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  4. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno, if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Stir in garlic, ginger, garam masala and turmeric until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste and chicken stock; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
  7. Stir in heavy cream and meatballs until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
  8. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use medium sweet onion to provide a balanced base without overpowering the sauce.
  • Remove seeds from jalapeño to adjust the heat level according to taste.
  • Baking the meatballs separately before adding to the sauce ensures they cook evenly without becoming tough.
  • The recipe yields about 36-40 meatballs, suitable for multiple servings or leftovers.
  • Fresh cilantro adds a bright herbal note, complementing the warm spices.