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cashew chicken balls

cashew chicken balls

These delightful cashew chicken balls are a fantastic blend of savory ground chicken, crunchy cashews, and fresh herbs, all coated in a rich, sweet, and sour sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or a main dish with rice, they offer a fun and flavorful twist on classic cashew chicken.
Prep : 10 Total : 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 0.5 cup plain panko crumbs
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt to taste
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, to taste
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 0.33 cup chopped cashews
  • 1 orange zest of one small orange
  • 0.5 cup cream cheese room temperature

For Cooking Meatballs

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients

  • 0.25 cup packed brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup white vinegar
  • 0.25 cup water

Instructions
 

Prepare the Meatballs

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Place the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a shallow dish and set it aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko crumbs, salt, pepper, finely diced onion, fresh basil, fresh parsley, chopped cashews, orange zest, and cream cheese.
  • Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
  • In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until it is hot.
  • Roll the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Lightly coat each meatball in the flour from the shallow dish, then add them to the hot oil in the skillet.
  • Cook and turn the meatballs for about 2 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on all sides.
  • Transfer the browned meatballs and any hot oil from the skillet into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink inside.

Prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce

  • While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. In a separate skillet, combine the brown sugar, white vinegar, and water.
  • Bring the sauce mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently. Continue to cook for about 4 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by 0.5 and thickened slightly.

Serve

  • Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the oven. Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce evenly over the meatballs.
  • Serve immediately, perhaps with rice or steamed vegetables.

Notes

For extra crunch, toast the cashews lightly before chopping. These meatballs are great served with white rice or a side of steamed broccoli.