My Thai inspired Red Curry with Ginger Chicken Meatballs is a cozy, balanced weeknight dinner that takes under 1 hour. Not too spicy, but full of flavour!
Thai cuisine is one of my favourites- so many fresh herbs, peanuts, and flavorful curries. I'm definitely not trained in traditional Thai cooking, but I love using some staple ingredients to make my own Thai inspired recipes like this red meatball curry. Not super authentic by any means, but still a meal I love.
Thailand has a warm, tropical climate, and their curries definitely reflect that. Although this meatball curry is a hot meal, it incorporates lots of fresh veggies and zingy lime juice that makes it delicious even in warmer weather. With homemade ginger chicken meatballs and a light, coconut milk based red curry, it's a comfort meal that everyone will adore.
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Fast weeknight dinner. This meatball curry can be made in under an hour, with only 20 minutes of prep. It's great for busy weeks!
- Perfect for the whole family. I love this curry because it's flavourful, without being too spicy. So if you have some sensitive taste buds in the house, you don't have to worry about making a separate meal or altering the spices.
- Customize your veggies. I used bell pepper, zucchini and onion, but you can use any veggies you have left in your fridge.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
Ground chicken. For a lean source of protein. Ground chicken is great for a mild flavour that pairs perfectly with the blend of spices added.
Garlic. Use freshly minced garlic for best results.
Ginger. For a fresh flavour, mildly spicy flavour. For ease, I like to use this ginger paste however if you are looking to substitute with fresh ginger you can use 2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger.
Green onions. We use both the whites and greens in this recipe.
Breadcrumbs. These help to absorb moisture. Any breadcrumbs of choice will work great.
Soy sauce. Use a high quality soy sauce for best results. My favourite is this one.
Red curry paste. We use some in the curry and meatballs. It's important to know that not all red curry pastes are created equally! Thai red curry pastes are usually spicier than a traditional Indian red curry paste. I personally recommend this one.
For the curry:
Vegetables. Feel free to change up what you use. I went for bell pepper, zucchini, and onion.
Coconut milk. Use a high quality coconut milk for the best results. I recommend looking for coconut milk that only has coconut milk and water as the main ingredients.
Lime juice. This adds a fresh zest to this curry, making it perfect for warmer weather!
Cilantro. Optional, but cilantro is a delicious herb to finish the curry.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic, ginger, green onions, egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce and red curry paste. Mix well.
Divide the ground chicken into 22 equal sized meatballs (about 2 tablespoon per meatball). Bake for approximately 16-18 minutes, or until fully cooked.
While the meatballs are cooking, add olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced onions. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Form a well in the center of the onions and add red curry paste and ginger. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes (this helps release the flavours).
Add bell peppers and zucchini, stir and cover for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to soften.
Add coconut milk and stir. Bring to a low boil. Once the curry is warmed through, stir in soy sauce, add meatballs. Remove from the heat, and drizzle with fresh lime juice. Serve over rice or grain of choice and sprinkle with cilantro.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs of choice. Swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos or tamari. Ensure your curry paste is also gluten-free.
To make dairy-free: This recipe is naturally dairy-free.
To make vegan: The curry is naturally vegan. You can always swap the meatballs for some tofu or another vegetarian protein of choice.
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free.
Equipment
Storage
This Thai meatball curry is best eaten fresh. If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. If you are looking to meal prep this recipe, I recommend making the curry, the meatballs and the rice and storing each separately until you are ready to serve.
Top Tip for Success
I recommend using a cookie scoop to keep your meatballs the same size. I find this helps ensure all meatballs are cooking evenly.
If you are looking to make this recipe even easier, you can fully bake the meatballs and freeze them. To defrost, thaw in the fridge overnight and add to the sauce to heat through when you are ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, ground turkey or ground pork is also delicious. Note that with ground beef, the flavours of the spices and flavourings may not come through quite as much.
Red curry paste is a blended mixture of red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger). I purchase mine pre-made to make for easy use, however you can also make it yourself at home. It's super delicious and concentrated with flavour!
It depends what your definition of traditional curry is, as many cultures have their own takes. I took inspiration from my favourite red Thai curry, but changed it by using ingredients such as red curry paste in place of the traditional spices. I also used meatballs as a meal prep friendly version, whereas traditional Thai curries use proteins like shrimp, chicken or tofu. This recipe is by no means authentic, just a Thai-inspired meal I like to make in my kitchen.
Yes you can however, please note that green curry paste is typically the hottest so this will effect the overall flavor balance of this dish. I recommend sticking with the red curry past for best results if it is available to you!
You can however coconut milk is thinner, so it will result in a thinner, less creamy sauce.
More Healthy Dinner Recipes
Easy and delicious meals to fuel your busy weeks!
- Sticky Orange Tofu Bowls
- Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
- Inside Out Egg Roll Bowls
- Thai Inspired Chicken Noodle Soup
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this Thai inspired meatball curry, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Ginger Chicken Meatballs in Thai Red Curry
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste
- 4 green onions finely sliced
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon red curry paste
For the curry:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 tablespoon red curry paste
- ½ tbsp fresh ginger paste
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
Optional- for added flavour!
- fresh cilantro for sprinkling
Instructions
Make the meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic, ginger, green onions, egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce and red curry paste. Mix well.
- Divide the ground chicken into 22 equal sized meatballs (about 2 tablespoon per meatball). Bake for approximately 16-18 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Make the curry:
- While the meatballs are cooking, add olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced onions. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Form a well in the center of the onions and add red curry paste and ginger. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes (this helps release the flavours).
- Add bell peppers and zucchini, stir and cover for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to soften.
- Add coconut milk and stir. Bring to a low boil. Once the curry is warmed through, stir in soy sauce and add meatballs. Remove from the heat, and drizzle with fresh lime juice.
- Serve over rice or grain of choice and sprinkle with cilantro.
Amanda says
A new staple in our house! We make them all the time
Erin says
Okay, Nic! This recipe was absolutely delicious. My whole family loved, including my two kids, ages 12 & 15. Next time, they want me to double the recipe so we actually have leftovers.
Marissa H says
I love how simple and flavourful this recipe is! I’ll admit that I was a little sceptical about the lack of seasonings at first but the ginger and curry really do carry the flavour throughout the dish. I even loved having leftovers to enjoy for the rest of the week. A new staple for weeknight meals!
Steph says
Delicious!!