Kung Pao Asian Meatballs Recipe (2024)

This Asian meatballs recipe is sweet and spicy and so much better than takeout! Featuring ground chicken, spices, and sauces that come together to create a delicious Kung Pao-inspired flavor.

I love takeout as much as the next person. There’s something really satisfying about placing my order and waiting for it to show up on my doorstep. But, now that we live out in the country, take away is not as easy as it used to be living in a big city. One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to recreate my favorite restaurant meals at home! Not only is it a lot more affordable most of the time, but I also take comfort in knowing exactly what’s in the food I’m eating.

Recipes like sticky chicken, moo shu pork, hibachi fried rice, and honey garlic shrimp are just a few in my better-than-takeout lineup. Today I’m adding to it with this Kung Pao-inspired Asian meatballs recipe! Guys…you won’t believe how delicious it is.

I start with ground chicken, chili paste, soy sauce, and the secret (and unexpected!) ingredient: peanut butter. Trust me on this one — you won’t want to skip it. You’ll also find peanuts in the stir fry, and I add a homemade Kung Pao sauce. In short, these Asian meatballs are flavorful, unique, and ready in 35 minutes. Better than takeout? I’d say so!

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Ground Chicken – You could use any ground meat of your choice for the Asian chicken meatballs. Ground turkey, beef, and pork are good substitutes. I chose chicken to represent the flavors of the authentic dish.
• Peanut Butter – Yes, I add PB to my Asian meatballs. While it may seem like an odd choice, it’s a must for that distinct Kung Pao flavor.
• Chili Paste – There are plenty of chile pastes to choose from. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand. I like to use organic sambal oelek chili paste for my Kung Pao meatballs because the flavor doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
• Soy Sauce – A must for most Asian-inspired recipes. You’ll need it in the meatballs and sauce.
• Chinese Shaoxing Rice Wine – For more added flavor. If you don’t want to use alcohol at all, you can leave it out without it affecting the flavor of the dish.
• Panko – I like using Panko as a binder instead of another type of breadcrumb to keep things authentic.
• Rice Wine Vinegar – For the sauce. If you can’t find any, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar is a good substitute.
• Sugar – Where most of the sweetness comes from! You’ll use it in the sauce.
• Cornstarch – This ingredient works as a thickening agent for the Kung Pao sauce. You don’t need a lot of it, just one teaspoon.
• Peanuts – Whole (shelled) peanuts work alongside the peanut butter in the Kung Pao meatballs. You’ll toast them in oil to bring out their flavor.
• Red Chiles – You need dried red chiles to add to the stir fry portion of this recipe.
• Green Onions – For added freshness, use them in the stir fry.
• Garlic – One of the flavor bases for the Kung Pao meatballs sauce.
• Oil – Use a vegetable oil of your choice to fry the peanuts, garlic, green onions, and red chiles.

HOW TO MAKE KUNG PAO ASIAN MEATBALLS

1. Make The Meatballs. Before you get started, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. As it heats, mix the ground meat, peanut butter, chili paste, soy sauce, rice wine, and breadcrumbs together in a bowl. Using your hands, form 20 meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the Asian meatballs for 15 minutes.

2. Start The Sauce. While your meatballs bake, it’s time to whip up the Kung Pao sauce! Whisk together water, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Stir Fry The Rest. Heat the oil in a hot skillet or a wok. Stir fry the peanuts and dried red chiles for 1 minute, then add the green onions and garlic. Toss to mix and cook for another minute. Add the Kung Pao sauce and toss again, then cook for 2 more minutes until the mixture thickens.

4. Add The Asian Meatballs. Place the meatballs into the sauce and toss to coat them. Allow to cook for a few minutes, then serve your Kung Pao meatballs immediately!

FAQ

This post, originally published on Silk Road Recipes July, 2021, was updated with new content, photos and/or video in September, 2022.