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adobo chicken meatballs

Featured in Poultry Perfection: Chicken & Turkey Recipes.

These delicious chicken meatballs are cooked in a tangy adobo sauce made with coconut milk, soy sauce, chicken broth, vinegar, and brown sugar. Fresh veggies like carrots, onions, and garlic join in, creating a comforting dish inspired by classic Filipino flavors.

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Updated on Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:53:33 GMT
A skillet filled with cooked meatballs, carrots, green onion, and rice in a glossy sauce. Pin it
A skillet filled with cooked meatballs, carrots, green onion, and rice in a glossy sauce. | linacooks.com

I stumbled upon these chicken meatballs with adobo when I wanted something comforting but lighter than beef dishes. The soft meatballs swimming in a zesty sauce with onions and carrots have turned into our household's go-to meal. The coconut milk adds a wonderful creaminess while the soy sauce brings that deep, savory element. These days my children beg for them weekly, especially piled high on fluffy rice.

What Makes These Stand Out

Ground chicken works wonders in this dish. The sauce hits every flavor note—tangy, savory, with a hint of sweetness—while the coconut milk ties everything together beautifully. I'm a big fan of the one-pot cooking method that makes cleaning up so easy. It's just what you need on those hectic evenings when you want food that seems like it took forever to make.

What You'll Need

  • The Star Ingredient: Grab ground chicken from your local butcher if you can—it's juicier than the packaged frozen stuff.
  • For The Flavor Base: Coconut milk, rice vinegar, and soy sauce create that distinctive adobo taste.
  • Veggie Components: Carrots, onions, and loads of garlic really elevate the sauce.
  • Finishing Touches: Bay leaves, black pepper, and a tiny bit of brown sugar round out the flavors nicely.

Step By Step

Form Your Meatballs
Combine your ground chicken with black pepper, garlic, and a dash of soy sauce. Use damp hands to roll into small balls—this stops everything from getting sticky.
Get Them Golden
Heat your oil in a pan until it's nice and sizzling. Cook those meatballs until golden brown all around, roughly 2 minutes each side.
Create The Sauce
Toss onions and carrots into the same pan and cook until they're soft. Pour in your vinegar, soy sauce, coconut milk, and toss in those bay leaves.
Let Everything Meld
Put the meatballs back in and let everything bubble away gently for about 20 minutes until the sauce gets thicker and the meatballs cook through completely.
A black pan filled with savory meatballs, sliced carrots, and onions, garnished with chopped green onions in a glossy sauce. Pin it
A black pan filled with savory meatballs, sliced carrots, and onions, garnished with chopped green onions in a glossy sauce. | linacooks.com

Insider Tips

Always keep your hands wet when you're rolling those meatballs—it's so much easier. Try using low-sodium soy sauce if you want to watch your salt intake. Don't ever skip browning those meatballs first—it adds flavor and helps them stay intact in the sauce. I found this out the hard way, believe me.

Ready To Eat

You'll want to put these meatballs on a heap of hot rice to soak up that incredible sauce. Sometimes we use cauliflower rice for a lighter option. Adding a simple green salad or some roasted broccoli on the side makes for a well-rounded dinner.

Tucking Leftovers Away

Any extras will keep in the fridge for about 3 days in an airtight container. Just warm them up slowly in the microwave or on your stovetop. I wouldn't put them in the freezer though—they don't come out quite right after thawing, I've tried it before.

Change It Up

Feel free to swap in ground turkey or pork for a different flavor. You can toss in some zucchini, green beans, or bell peppers to amp up the veggie content. Light coconut milk works too if you're counting calories. Just play around with the vinegar and soy sauce amounts until you find your perfect balance.

A plate of meatballs served with a sweet sauce, diced carrots, and green onions over a bed of fluffy rice. Pin it
A plate of meatballs served with a sweet sauce, diced carrots, and green onions over a bed of fluffy rice. | linacooks.com

Personal Touches

Throw in some chili flakes for heat or add paprika for a smoky twist. You can sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top or finish with a little sesame oil drizzle. Everyone in my family has their own preference. My husband goes for extra vinegar for tanginess while the kids like theirs milder. That's what makes cooking so fun—you can tweak each dish to suit everyone's taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What does adobo mean?

Adobo is a famous dish in Filipino cooking, featuring meat or seafood that's stewed in a flavorful mix of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices.

→ What ingredients go into the meatballs?

These meatballs are made from ground chicken mixed with panko, onion and garlic powders, salt, and black pepper.

→ Which veggies are included?

This dish includes carrots, fresh garlic, and sliced onions cooked along with the sauce and meatballs.

→ What’s in the adobo sauce?

The sauce has soy sauce, chicken broth, coconut milk, brown sugar, vinegar, and a touch of pepper for balance.

→ What can I serve with these meatballs?

You can pair the meatballs with steamed white rice, cauliflower rice, or garnish with green onion for freshness.

adobo chicken meatballs

Tender chicken balls slow-cooked in a savory adobo sauce with garlic, onions, and carrots. Perfect to enjoy any time with a Filipino twist.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
30 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes
By: Paolina

Category: Poultry

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Filipino

Yield: 4 Servings (20 meatballs)

Dietary: Dairy-Free

Ingredients

01 1/2 cup chicken broth.
02 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
03 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
04 2 teaspoons brown sugar.
05 2 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar.
06 1 bay leaf.
07 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
08 4 large carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces.
09 1 pound ground chicken (90% lean or leaner).
10 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced.
11 1 green onion, chopped, for topping.
12 1/2 cup coconut milk.
13 1 teaspoon onion powder.
14 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
15 1/4 cup soy sauce.
16 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into strips.
17 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs.
18 1 large egg.

Instructions

Step 01

Grab a medium bowl and combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix everything until the mixture is even.

Step 02

In a measuring cup, mix together coconut milk, chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and black pepper. Stir well so they combine.

Step 03

Heat a big skillet or braising pan with some vegetable oil over medium heat. Shape the chicken mixture into small balls and carefully put them in the pan when the oil is hot.

Step 04

Cook the meatballs for about 2 minutes on each side, letting them become golden and cooked through.

Step 05

Push the meatballs over in the pan, creating space to toss in the sliced garlic. Cook the garlic for about a minute while stirring gently.

Step 06

Add the onions, chopped carrots, and the bay leaf into the pan, snuggling them between the meatballs wherever possible.

Step 07

Pour your mixed sauce over everything in the pan. Once the liquid starts to bubble, cover the pan and turn down the heat to medium-low. Let it cook gently for 15 minutes.

Step 08

Take the cover off the pan, turn the heat back up to medium-high, and let the sauce simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Stir it now and then to thicken it up.

Step 09

Sprinkle the sliced green onions on top, then serve it warm with rice or cauliflower rice on the side.

Notes

  1. Pop leftovers into a sealed container and keep them in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, about 90 seconds.

Tools You'll Need

  • Mixing bowls.
  • A skillet or braising pan with a lid.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 460
  • Total Fat: 27 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 23 g
  • Protein: 33 g