Description
Juicy ground chicken meatballs seasoned with bold jerk spices and simmered in a velvety coconut curry sauce — a Caribbean-inspired comfort dish perfect for weeknights or entertaining.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs (≈ 680 g) ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup scallions (green onions), sliced (plus extra for garnish)
- 2 tbsp jerk seasoning
- 1 tsp ginger paste (or 2 tsp freshly grated ginger)
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for sauce)
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 tsp Jamaican curry powder
- 1 (14‑ounce) can full‑fat coconut milk
- Optional: cooked rice, extra scallions for serving
Instructions
- Mix ground chicken, egg, panko, garlic, scallions, jerk seasoning, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Do not overmix.
- Form about 20–22 meatballs using a scooper or your hands.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with olive oil. Brown meatballs in batches for ~3 minutes per side. Set aside.
- Discard excess fat, then add 1 tbsp butter to the skillet. Sauté chopped shallot for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add sliced bell peppers and cook for another 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Stir in Jamaican curry powder and toast for 1 minute.
- Pour in the coconut milk, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low.
- Return meatballs to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked (165 °F / 74 °C).
- Serve hot over rice and garnish with extra scallions if desired.
Notes
- Add honey or brown sugar for a sweet balance.
- Add chopped scotch bonnet pepper for more heat.
- Substitute Jamaican curry powder with regular curry powder plus a pinch of allspice and thyme.
- Use zucchini or spinach instead of bell peppers for variation.
- Prepare meatballs in advance and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and freeze well for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
