Fast, easy and delicious, this Hoisin Orange Chicken Meatball Bowl is perfect for a busy weeknight meal. Using lower-fat ground chicken and stir fried bok choy, this is also a lighter meal option!
I love baking with citrus, but I didn't want to ignore the fact that citrus is also fabulous in cooking, as well! This Hoisin Orange Chicken Meatball Bowl is a great example of how you can use some of the Winter's best citrus in your weeknight dinners.
For these meatballs, I used ground chicken. I have to say, I've not always been a big fan of ground chicken, but when it's flavoured well, it's a great lean choice. These meatballs are baked quickly in a hot oven. While the meatballs are baking, simply put on some rice or grains and prepare your veg and sauce. It all comes together quickly in a wok or hot frying pan right at the end.
Cook's Notes for Orange Chicken Meatball Bowl
I used basmati rice in my bowls (because we all know I'm a shameless carb-o-holic ;), but brown rice, quinoa or other grains would also be a great choice.
You can easily substitute ground turkey, pork or beef for the ground chicken here. The time in the oven should be the same, but I would always encourage you to check with a thermometer, just to be sure they are cooked thoroughly.
I used Shanghai Bok Choy here. Baby Bok Choy is also great, as is any green that you can quickly saute (kale, chard, collards, spinach etc.)
When I cooked this up, I quickly stir fried the greens first, then added the sauce, which works fine, but makes the greens quite well cooked. If you prefer your greens just wilted (I think I do, actually), remove the greens before adding the sauce.
Hoisin Orange Chicken Meatballs Bowl
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Zest of 1/2 naval orange
- Salt and pepper ((note that soy sauce does add some saltiness))
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
- Zest of 1/2 naval orange
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Greens:
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- Bok Choy (or other greens, roughly chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (mince)
To Serve:
- Rice or grains (for servings)
- green onion (chopped, for garnish)
- Orange wedges (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 460 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set aside.
- If making rice or grains, start that cooking first.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken with the flour, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, orange zest and salt and pepper. Form mixture in to walnut-sized meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. (I got 15 meatballs out of 550g of ground chicken).
- Bake meatballs in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, prepare sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Prepare greens by roughly chopping and removing stems, if necessary.
- Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add greens and cook, stirring constantly, until just wilted. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds. (If you'd like your greens to stay just wilted, remove to a plate before adding sauce, otherwise, just leave them in). Add sauce and cook, stirring, a minute or so until sauce is hot and thickened. Remove from heat.
- To serve: Spoon rice in to serving bowls. Top with greens and meatballs. Spoon sauce overtop. Garnish with chopped green onion and an orange wedge, for drizzling.
Nutrition
Pat says
Will try this next Monday as Florida Oranges in season..can’t wait will report back!
Pat
Pat says
All the juices mixed so well with the rice . Orange brings it to another level. Very good dish for a weeknight. Not very difficult to make. We enjoyed it. Thanks!
Pat
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed it, Pat :) Thanks!
Mare says
I'd like to share this by email since I'm not on facebook or twitter - how could I? Why does the oven have to be so hot ( 460 F) ?
Thanks.
Jennifer says
Hi Mare, First, the oven is so hot since we want them to cook quickly. They are only in the oven 10 minutes or so. It also helps the meatballs to get some colour, since ground chicken can be kind of anemic :)
As for emailing, I'm not sure what you mean exactly. I'm assuming you want to share the recipe, but unsure beyond that. You want to email it to other people or to yourself?
Mare says
Thanks for your reply. I want to email your recipe to other people but don't see a link to email, only pinterest, facebook and twitter.
Jennifer says
Ahhh, I see. So the Pinterest/Facebook and Twitter links aren't for sharing the actual recipe there. It's for sharing a link to the recipe (bookmarking, essentially). So the email version of that would be to send the link to this page to other people by email. That's the best way for me, as it means that people will be able to read the recipe here and take advantage of all the other information and tips that are shared along with the recipe etc. as well. And while I don't mind people copying a recipe to their own files for their own personal use, if it's widely distributed by email (just the recipe) and people never have to visit my site, there's not much in it for me, in return for the work I put into developing/publishing it etc. So all that is to say, I'd really appreciate it if you would just share a link to the recipe, rather than the entire recipe. Hope that makes sense.
Mare says
Of course. I only wanted to share this with one other person and wouldn't know how to do the rest anyway so you have nothing to worry about.
Jennifer says
No worries with that Mare. Your best bet is to copy and paste it into an email then.
Janice says
I know fresh ginger is best but can you use ginger powder instead?
Jennifer says
Hi Janice and yes, you can. You'll use a lot less. The ratio is roughly 1/8 tsp powdered ginger for 3 tsp fresh. (Btw, have you ever tried the ginger in the tube that is available in the produce section? I love that stuff. A little milder than freshly grated fresh ginger, but still with the fresh flavour. And it keeps forever in the fridge, so I'm never out).
SandraM says
Finally made this for dinner tonight. Really liked the flavours. And made the meatballs small so I have extras to put in the freezer for another meal. ?
Jennifer says
Glad you enjoyed this one, Sandra and great idea making extra meatballs for another meal!
Robyn says
You and I like a lot of the same things, Jennifer. I don't often cook with ground chicken either but I have been spicing it up and it makes such a huge difference. LOVE my citrus - especially this time of year. And I'm all about slightly wilted greens - anything more just doesn't do it for me.
So that said, this is my idea of a perfect meal especially because meatballs cancel out everything else, lol. There is nothing better - period!
Your photography is breathtaking. Perfect light! Sharing :)
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Robyn :)
Dena says
Thanks Jennifer. This was delicious and got rave reviews! Love your recipes and your blog. You explain everything so well and make your recipes so easy to follow. I appreciate all you do!
Jennifer says
So glad, Dena and thanks so much :)
Dena says
If I use beef, do I have to change anything? Do you think it will be ok?
Jennifer says
It would be all good Dena. Shouldn't have to change anything.
Dalila G. says
What a tasty dish Jennifer. :-)
I do like using ground chicken in some of my dishes and this recipe is going to be another one.
The combination of the citrus and ginger is right up my alley.
As always, your pictures are wonderful, you're making me hungry and I just ate....LOL!
Have a nice day Jennifer!
Pinned!
Jennifer says
Thanks Dalila :) You will love this dish, for sure then!
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
I love this kind of dinner - fast, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights. Love that touch of citrus and as a fellow carb-o-colic, the basmati rice is a must! :)
Jennifer says
Thanks Laura and yes, I do love my basmati rice too :)
Chris Scheuer says
Yummy! My kind of dinner, for sure. I'm with you - ground chicken is not always my first choice but in something like this, so full of flavor, it's wonderful!
Jennifer says
Thanks Chris and I have to say, I rather enjoyed the chicken meatballs. The texture is obviously more dense than beef or pork, but they had lots of flavour and were nice and hearty!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Ginger and garlic and orange - what a terrific, flavorful combination! Your creativity cannot be beat Jennifer and the photos are absolutely gorgeous. Baby Bok Choy is one of my favorites too - I love everything about this dish but especially how easy it is to put together. Amazing!
Jennifer says
Thanks Tricia :) These are my favourite meals - full of flavour, easy and a little leaner!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Citrus season is the best, right?! While I love baking with citrus, I'm more of a savory girl, so these meatball bowls are right up my alley! I love the hoisin and orange pairing here! AND the bok choy - it's so underrated! I am totally making these for dinner sometime soon! Cheers, girlfriend!
Jennifer says
Thanks Cheyanne :) There is nothing like a little citrus to brighten up a dish, especially this time of year!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I love baking and cooking with orange too Jennifer. I'll definitely need to try these meatballs. The sauce sounds so flavorful. I also love that you served it with bok choy. Can't wait to try.
Jennifer says
Thanks Mary Ann. This is such an easy dinner, too. Win win :)