My recipe for soft and juicy Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs will soon be your family‘s favorite! Tofu is the secret ingredient that makes these meatballs so fluffy. The best part? It takes only 40 minutes to prepare.
These Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs are soft and fluffy, and my kids love them! What’s the secret ingredient to making them so fluffy? It’s tofu!
Actually, in Japan, we call this dish Tofu Hambagu (豆腐ハンバーグ) – “hambagu” as in Japanese Hamburger Steak. However, most tofu hambagu are made with tofu AND ground meat (usually chicken, sometimes a combination of beef & pork). To avoid misleading the vegetarian readers, I decided to simply call it chicken meatballs (with tofu, as the secret ingredient).
Why tofu? It’s because tofu makes the meatball texture very fluffy and soft. These teriyaki meatballs are especially great for all ages including toddlers and elders! If you increase the amount of tofu, it gets even fluffier and less calorie! My proportion of the meat and tofu in this recipe is pretty easy to form into meatballs. As you increase the ratio for tofu, it might become slightly difficult to maintain the round shape.
And please note that the meat acts as a binding agent here. As you knead the meat, it gets stickier and helps bind tofu and other ingredients very well.
Today I used colorful sweet bell peppers to add some color to these meatballs. You can add your choice of vegetables but don’t put too much in order to maintain the fluffiness.
Lastly, look at the delicious glaze on the meatballs! The sauce is everyone’s favorite, Teriyaki Sauce. If you cook Japanese food often, you noticed that we often use the same condiments – soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake (I didn’t use it for this recipe). It’s very common to season Japanese food with these condiments (just slightly different ratios).
Similar Recipes
- Chicken Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 17 Teriyaki Recipes You Must Make at Home
- Chicken Meatball Bento
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Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
For the Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- ½ tsp potato starch or cornstarch
For the Meatballs
- 5 oz medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) (about ⅓ of a 14-oz block)
- 3 oz sweet bell peppers (1½ peppers; I used 3 colors)
- 1 green onion/scallion
- 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice; from a 1-inch, 2.5-cm knob)
- 14 oz ground chicken
- 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce: 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp mirin, 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), and ½ tsp potato starch or cornstarch. Set aside.
To Make the Meatballs
- Wrap 5 oz medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) with a paper towel and let it drain for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove the seeds from 3 oz sweet bell peppers under running water and dry completely.
- Mince the sweet bell peppers and chop 1 green onion/scallion finely. Grate the ginger and measure 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice).
- In a large bowl, combine 14 oz ground chicken, the minced sweet bell peppers, and the chopped green onion. Break the drained tofu into small pieces and add to the bowl.
- Add 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) and mix it all together.
- Add the grated ginger, ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper and combine well.
- Using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop, form small meatballs. I usually scoop the meatballs straight into the frying pan (see the next step).
To Cook the Meatballs
- Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. When hot, add the meatballs, keeping some space between each. Cook in batches, if necessary.
- When the bottom is nicely browned, flip them over. Cover with the lid to cook until the inside is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low if they are browning too fast. Transfer to a plate and cook the remaining batch(es).
- When the meat in the last batch is cooked through, add the other cooked meatballs and their juices back into the pan.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Simmer to reduce and thicken the sauce while flipping the meatballs to coat both sides with the sauce.
To Store
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight container with the sauce, let cool completely, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.
Just made this! It’s so delicious that I’m wondering whether it will last until my husband gets home from work!
Hi Hedwig! My family love this dish too! I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe! 🙂
Hi, thank you for the recipe.
1 question : will this still taste good if frozen after cooking and heated up like a week later?
regards, Donna
Hi Donna! I do that often. I recommend making extra sauce and save or cook the sauce too. 🙂
Hi Nami, I plan on making these this weekend, it doesn’t say in the recipe but what are you using, white or dark meat ground chicken? 🙂
Hi Suzze! In your country, you have a choice for dark or white ground chicken? I believe it’s thigh (although it doesn’t say which part being used). 🙂
I made this yesterday and it turned out fantastic! So easy, so tasty. I’ll be making this again and again.
On a side note, the leftover meatballs worked great to reheat, maintaining almost all their juiciness after microwaving them today.
Thank you for this great recipe!
Hi Andy! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this dish! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂 xo
Hi Nami, I wanted to know for your chicken meatballs what do you use as a binder? Bread crumbs, starch, etc? 🙂
Hi Suzze! The tofu and egg act as a binder so you don’t need breadcrumbs or starch (you can use it, but you don’t need in this recipe). 🙂
can’t wait to make this recipe this week, thank you!
Hi Suzze! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I just wanted to say thank you so much for replying, there are so many people out there who have food blogs that never respond to your questions and I appreciate you getting back to me, thank you 🙂
Aw thank you! I consider it’s part of my job (as blogging is my full-time job). 🙂 I am just happy that people are trying out Japanese foods at home and I’m happy to help out during the process. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
If I want to make this into hamburger steak, should I reduce the amount of tofu so it’s easier to shape?
Hi Poon! The amount of tofu is really up to you (more tofu, healthier and fluffier). You can still make a bigger hamburger shape with this recipe. 🙂
Hi Nami,
I tried this meat ball recipe before but my kids don’t seem to like them. They still love the Yakitori Chicken Meatball from Tori Q in S’pore. May I ask what’s the difference between this “chicken meatball” and the Tsukune (つくね) Japanese chicken meatballs recipe? Which one is nearer to the taste of Tori Q Chicken Meatball? It’s really a headache to cook for picky kids:( Btw, they do like your Salmon Teriyaki:) Thanks
Hi Nana! I don’t live in Singapore, so I have never dined at Tori Q before and I don’t know what they serve… so there is no way for me to tell you if my recipes are close to Tori Q recipe. 🙂
This recipe includes tofu to make it fluffy but tsukune is pure chicken so it’s harder texture.
I’m happy to hear your children enjoyed my Salmon Teriyaki recipe. 🙂
Dear Nami,
Thank you for your prompt reply. Then I will take time to try your Tsukune meatball recipe, maybe they will like them:) I like your blog and recipes akin my 3 kids like Japanese cuisine. Thank you for your great recipe<3
Hope your children will enjoy the recipe! Thank you for your kind words about my blog! 🙂
I made this last night, it was delicious. My picky husband also loved it 🙂
Hi Steph! Thanks so much for your kind feedback! Sorry I just saw this comment… Sorry about my late response!
What a delicious recipe! I substituted with ground pork and added 1 Tbsp of soy sauce to the sauce…and it turned out perfect with that beautiful glaze..Thank you
Hi Fiona! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
This has easily become a favorite in my home. It’s a great recepie for bento too. If you double the recepie it easily makes enough for a few days. I use the extra tofu to make homemade miso soup.
Hi April! I”m so happy to hear this recipe became your family’s favorite! Yes, I usually make tofu miso soup too!!! 😀 Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
I just made this today. Very good recipe! And I have tons of leftovers for lunch and the rest of the week. Yay!
Hi Van Anh! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you liked it! 🙂
Great Recipe! made a big batch for work lunches this week 🙂 yum yum!!
Hi Emily! Thank you so much! So happy to hear you tried this recipe. Hope you’re enjoying it this week. 😀
I made these Chicken Meatballs last night and omg, they were so good!! I’ve made so many of your recipes and each one as been so good Nami.
Everyone loved these meatballs and I will definitely be making them again.
Follow you recipe exact recipe. Yummy!
Hi Esther! Thank you for trying my recipe and I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for writing your kind feedback. 🙂
About the sauce, can I use the store bought teriyaki sauce?
Sure! 🙂
Hi Nami,
I can’t do frying at home, can I bake them in oven instead? If yes, how long should I bake? Thank you.
Hi Star! I have never made this recipe in the oven, so I’m not sure if it works… let us know if you give it a try!
Hi Nami,
I am trying to add more vege into food for my son, do you think I can add some finely chopped brocoli into the chicken ball?
Thank you.
Sure, you can add it! 🙂