Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

This is one of those foods that come in many different variations in Japan. They are served primarily on a stick but you can get them in soups, bentos, as a main dish, etc. It became a family favorite almost instantly (it needed some tweaks at first). I'm giving you my dinner recipe here, which I usually serve on a bed of Japanese rice with a side salad or sauteed enoki mushrooms.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 12 mins
• Total Time: 42 mins
• Calories: 133 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ¼ cup tamari
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon white sugar, or more to taste
• ½ carrot, grated
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs, or to taste
• ¼ cup mirin
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika, or more to taste
• ¼ cup cooking sake
• 10 ½ ounces ground chicken
• 2 tablespoons red miso paste, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon crumbled seaweed
• 1 tablespoon tamari, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon cooking sake, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.

Step 2

Heat oil in a small pot over low heat. Add 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic; cook and stir until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup tamari, 1/4 cup sake, mirin, brown sugar, and sesame seeds; simmer until glaze is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Combine ground chicken, egg, green onions, carrot, bread crumbs, miso, 2 tablespoons ginger, potato starch, seaweed, 1 tablespoon tamari, 1 tablespoon sake, soy sauce, white sugar, and paprika in a large bowl; mix well into a thick paste, at least 5 minutes.

Step 4

Roll ground chicken mixture into balls the size of your palm. Flatten them slightly into patties. Grill until well-browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue grilling until browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 5

Brush glaze over meatballs before serving.