Savory chicken meatballs are simmered in a classic Indian butter chicken sauce in this favorite family recipe. Serve over rice for a hearty, comforting meal.
One of my family’s all-time favorite meals is my Butter Chicken recipe, and these Butter Chicken Meatballs are an exciting new take on an old family favorite.
Basically, I combined the sauce from the butter chicken with my favorite chicken meatball recipe, which transforms the entire dish into something we love even more than the original.
I got the chicken meatball recipe from my friend Kristine, and let me tell you, I use it all the time. It’s pretty simple and straightforward, which is exactly why I love it.
I take Kristine’s basic recipe and adjust the seasonings and other ingredients so that the meatballs go perfectly with whatever I’m making for dinner–in this case I added a few Indian herbs and spices to the mix.
The basic recipe features Parmesan cheese, garlic and onion powder, and salt and pepper. From there, the possibilities are endless!
Of course, the best thing about butter chicken is that creamy, tomato based sauce. I love it so much that sometimes I double the sauce portion of the recipe.
Served over hot cooked rice, with a generous amount of sauce, this dish almost becomes a soup recipe. A very, very delicious soup recipe!
If you want to do some of the prep ahead of time, these meatballs freeze really well. Sometimes I make a double or triple batch of meatballs so I have them handy for all-kinds of quick week night dinners.
Whatever you do, don’t skip the fresh lime and cilantro. They really do elevate the dish and make it so much better.
These Butter Chicken Meatballs are a new favorite at my house, and they’re sure to become a new favorite in your recipe collection too!
Be sure to save this recipe for Butter Chicken Meatballs to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Butter Chicken Meatballs
- Ground chicken
- Eggs
- Panko bread crumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, cardamom, salt and pepper
- Produce: garlic, limes, cilantro
- Tomato sauce
- Heavy cream
Butter Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil as needed
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 cans 14.5 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 pint heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Rice for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For the meatballs, combine chicken, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and spices in a large bowl and mix well. Mix in olive oil, as needed, so that mixture comes together and can be formed into balls.
- Shape meat mixture into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
- While meatballs cook, make the sauce: in a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and continue simmering for 10-15 mintues longer.
- Gently stir in the heavy cream and return to a simmer. Stir in the lime juice and fresh cilantro just before serving. Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Nutrition
Never miss a Let’s Dish Recipe:
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
If you love this recipe, you might also like:
More Delicious Meatball Recipes
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs
Meatballs are simmered in the slow cooker in a flavorful, sweet and spicy homemade teriyaki sauce.
Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
These slow cooker Swedish meatballs are so easy to make, thanks to the help of pre-made, frozen meatballs. The creamy sauce makes this dish pure comfort food.
Quick Cranberry Glazed Meatballs
Cocktail meatballs in a sweet and savory cranberry glaze. The perfect holiday appetizer!
Slow Cooker Peach Glazed Meatballs
Cocktail meatballs are slow cooked in a sweet and tangy peach glaze in this easy, tasty recipe that makes a perfect appetizer or main dish.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Meatballs, pineapple and peppers slow cooked in a tangy sweet and sour glaze.
Greek Turkey Meatballs with Spinach and Feta
Ground turkey meatballs are loaded with feta cheese, spinach and Greek herbs and spices. Delicious served with orzo or flatbread.
Who Dished It Up First: This is an original recipe, thanks to my friend Kristine.
4 comments
Susan
We haven’t eaten it yet but I’ve just made the sauce and popped the meatballs in the oven. Tasting the sauce and it promises to deliver! But, I noticed the same discrepancy in the ingredients above. So is it 2 cans of tomato sauce or 1 plus 1 can of diced tomatoes?
Danelle
It is 2 cans of tomato sauce.
Mary Ann McNeil
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I both really enjoyed it. I have one question though: In the ingredients for the sauce part of the recipe it calls for two cans of tomato sauce but in the instruction part of the recipe it says to add the tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes. Would you clarify that for me? Thanks. We know if it is one of your recipes we are making we can count on it being a winner.
Danelle
It is 2 cans of tomato sauce. Thanks for catching that!