• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GreenLiteBites
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Favs
  • Macros
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Vegetarian
  • Snacks
  • Lunch
  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Cakes
  • Chili-like
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Entree
  • Gluten-Free
  • Healthy Recipes
  • High Protein
  • Kid Friendly
  • Cooking Videos
  • Leftover Ideas
  • Low Carb
  • Main Dishes
  • Muffins
  • Paleo
  • Party
  • Pasta
  • Pizza
  • Quick Recipes
  • Salads
  • Sandwich
  • Side Dishes
  • Soups
  • Tacos
  • The Laughing Cow
  • Whole30
  • Tips & Reviews
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Vegetarian
    • Snacks
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Cakes
    • Chili-like
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Entree
    • Gluten-Free
    • Healthy Recipes
    • High Protein
    • Kid Friendly
    • Cooking Videos
    • Leftover Ideas
    • Low Carb
    • Main Dishes
    • Muffins
    • Paleo
    • Party
    • Pasta
    • Pizza
    • Quick Recipes
    • Salads
    • Sandwich
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Tacos
    • The Laughing Cow
    • Whole30
    • Tips & Reviews
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Whole30 Chicken Meatballs with Spicy 'Peanut' Sauce

    Whole30 Chicken Meatballs with Spicy 'Peanut' Sauce

    Updated: Jun 11, 2023 by Veronica Noone · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

    chicken meatballs pin

    I love using what I have to whip up something tasty, and being on Whole30 this month is really forcing me to push the envelope.

    With all the college bowl games on New Year's weekend I wanted to make something fun, so I used an old favorite as inspiration: The Hot Wing.

    I was stumped at first because I always add honey or some other sweetener to my sauce but this ended up great. And the almond butter really helped to make an indulgent texture that stuck to the meatballs.

    Even The Husband approved!

    Here's what I did...

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb ground chicken breast (ground turkey would work, too!)
    • â…” cup ground flax
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon almond butter
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    Combine the chicken and flax with your hands. It will be very sticky. I always find ground chicken annoyingly sticky but it was on sales so I went with it.

    In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Form the chicken mixture into small balls (around 15) and add them to the skillet.

    Turn the meatballs to seal on 2-3 sides as they brown. (I wish I took a pic of this but my hands were just too messy! )

    Once the meatballs are set, lower the temperature to medium-low and cover so they begin to cook through.

    While the meatballs are cooking, whisk together the almond butter, vinegar, sesame oil, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. It will be on the thick side. A splash or two of water is fine to add to loosen it up.

    Pour the sauce over the meatballs and roll around to coat. You can continue to cook for a minute or two but the sauce will thicken even more.

    Pour the meatballs into a bowl and top with additional red pepper flakes to taste.

    chicken meatballs 1

    I had to stop myself from eating the whole bowl. I really enjoyed these!

    📖 Recipe

    chicken meatballs featured

    Whole30 Chicken Meatballs with Spicy 'Peanut' Sauce

    Get ready to spice up your next dinner with these juicy chicken meatballs paired with a tangy and delicious spicy peanut sauce.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 16 minutes mins
    Cook Time 31 minutes mins
    Total Time 47 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Servings 3 people
    Calories 492 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb ground chicken breast ground turkey would work, too!
    • â…” cup ground flax
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon almond butter
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the chicken and flax with your hands. It will be very sticky. I always find ground chicken annoyingly sticky but it was on sales so I went with it.
      1 lb ground chicken breast, â…” cup ground flax
    • In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Form the chicken mixture into small balls (around 15) and add them to the skillet.
      1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Turn the meatballs to seal on 2-3 sides as they brown. (I wish I took a pic of this but my hands were just too messy! )
    • Once the meatballs are set, lower the temperature to medium-low and cover so they begin to cook through.
    • While the meatballs are cooking, whisk together the almond butter, vinegar, sesame oil, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. It will be on the thick side. A splash or two of water is fine to add to loosen it up.
      2 tablespoon almond butter, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • Pour the sauce over the meatballs and roll around to coat. You can continue to cook for a minute or two but the sauce will thicken even more.
    • Pour the meatballs into a bowl and top with additional red pepper flakes to taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 492kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 41gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 282mgPotassium: 1053mgFiber: 11gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 406IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword chicken, Meatballs, Peanuts
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Other Recipes:

    • 29 hearty butternut squash recipes featured
      29 Hearty Butternut Squash Recipes
    • 17 easy and tasty almond recipes for any occasion featured
      17 Easy and Tasty Almond Recipes for Any Occasion
    • 18 nutritious recipes with applesauce featured
      18 Nutritious Recipes with Applesauce
    • 46 delicious avocado recipes to try today featured
      46 Delicious Avocado Recipes to Try Today

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. julie

      January 23, 2016 at 5:40 pm

      I really enjoyed this sauce and made a second batch of sauce to use on zoodles. I also crushed almonds and put them over the zoodles. I may have cooked my meatballs to long because once I got to the middle where there was no sauce it was too bland and dry. I think ill try again with some more spice inside the meatball mixture any ideas?

      Reply
    2. Peggy

      January 06, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      These chicken meatballs sound very good. I'm not a peanut sauce fan, but using the almond butter sounds like it'd be a good alternative. Did you have these by themselves or did you add a vegetable and/or a carb.? I'm thinking of using this as a lunch/dinner alternative so I'd have to add more bulk to the meal. I enjoy your recipes and your blog. Happy New Year.

      Reply
      • roni

        January 08, 2016 at 6:32 am

        I ate them alone as a football snack but you could totally add some veggies on the side or even top a bed of lettuce or spinach with them!

        Reply
    3. Sarah K

      January 06, 2016 at 3:30 pm

      Flax is an interesting addition to meatballs - I'm guessing it serves as the binder instead of breadcrumbs?

      Reply
      • roni

        January 08, 2016 at 6:28 am

        Yes and moisture because ground chicken is notoriously dry.

        Reply
    4. Cindy

      January 06, 2016 at 3:21 pm

      Just used my new SmartPoints calculator for the new new WW and it's 11 points for anyone who may be curious. 🙂 It's based on calories, sugar, saturated fat, and protein, instead of fat, carbs, fiber, and protein.

      Reply
      • roni

        January 08, 2016 at 6:28 am

        Thanks. I'm not sure I'll be updating the site with the new points but I will give all the nutritional values.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Roni in kitchen

    Hi, I'm Roni!

    GreenLiteBites is a complete creative outlet for me. I post what I'm eating and feeding my family. I photograph every recipe.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • roasted featured
      Roasted (Wish They Were Grilled) Cabbage
    • Homemade teething Biscuit in 60 seconds!
    • colorful roasted potatoes featured
      Colorful Roasted Potatoes with Carrots and Rosemary (Plus a Tasteful Selections Giveaway!)
    • favorite green smoothie featured
      Our New Favorite Green Smoothie the Video

    Recent Recipes:

    • Wacky Watermelon - Video Post
    • Pepper and Corn Soup with Fresh Cilantro
    • simple cheesy salsa featured
      Simple Cheesy Salsa
    • No Go on the Yo

    Important Pages

    • Privacy Policy
    • Macros (With calculator)
    • Disclaimer
    • Contatct

    Categories

    • Cooking Videos (167)
    • Recipe Collections (20)
    • Recipes (1,223)
      • Appetizers (93)
      • Breakfast (203)
      • Cakes (38)
      • Chili-like (41)
      • Desserts (132)
      • Dinner (440)
      • Drinks (69)
      • Entree (45)
      • Gluten-Free (75)
      • Healthy Recipes (94)
      • High Protein (50)
      • Kid Friendly (399)
      • Leftover Ideas (33)
      • Low Carb (31)
      • Lunch (350)
      • Main Dishes (150)
      • Muffins (32)
      • Paleo (36)
      • Party (91)
      • Pasta (36)
      • Pizza (35)
      • Quick Recipes (43)
      • Salads (171)
      • Sandwich (83)
      • Side Dishes (171)
      • Snacks (192)
      • Soups (100)
      • Tacos (9)
      • The Laughing Cow (65)
      • Vegetarian (387)
      • Whole30 (22)
    • Tips & Reviews (132)
    Roni in kitchen

    Hi, I'm Roni!

    GreenLiteBites is a complete creative outlet for me. I post what I'm eating and feeding my family. I photograph every recipe.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Banana Soft Serve (It's Homemade One Ingredient Ice Cream, SERIOUSLY!)
    • pumpkin oatmeal cups featured
      Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups
    • roasted broccoli & cauliflower featured
      Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower with Mushrooms and an Olive Oil Giveaway!
    • homemade almond milk take featured
      Homemade Almond Milk Take 1

    Recent Recipes:

    • My Cute Halloween Cheese Didn't Work. :(
    • Beans, Beans, They're Good for Your Heart...
    • A Quick Summer Lunch
    • School Lunch Idea 1

    Important Pages

    • Privacy Policy
    • Macros (With calculator)
    • Disclaimer
    • Contatct

    Categories

    • Cooking Videos (167)
    • Recipe Collections (20)
    • Recipes (1,223)
      • Appetizers (93)
      • Breakfast (203)
      • Cakes (38)
      • Chili-like (41)
      • Desserts (132)
      • Dinner (440)
      • Drinks (69)
      • Entree (45)
      • Gluten-Free (75)
      • Healthy Recipes (94)
      • High Protein (50)
      • Kid Friendly (399)
      • Leftover Ideas (33)
      • Low Carb (31)
      • Lunch (350)
      • Main Dishes (150)
      • Muffins (32)
      • Paleo (36)
      • Party (91)
      • Pasta (36)
      • Pizza (35)
      • Quick Recipes (43)
      • Salads (171)
      • Sandwich (83)
      • Side Dishes (171)
      • Snacks (192)
      • Soups (100)
      • Tacos (9)
      • The Laughing Cow (65)
      • Vegetarian (387)
      • Whole30 (22)
    • Tips & Reviews (132)

    Copyright © 2025 · Greenlitebites LLC

    • 8

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required