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Chicken Tikka Meatballs

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By: MadelinePosted: 01/02/2020Updated: 04/01/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Chicken Tikka Meatballs are a Whole30 friendly twist on chicken tikka masala made with ground chicken meatballs. The best part of this chicken tikka recipe is the sweet and spicy sauce.

side view of baked chicken meatballs in a tikka masala sauce

What are Chicken Tikka Meatballs?

A few weeks ago Amy and I went to dinner and had ground chicken meatballs in a tomato ginger sauce. They were delicious, but missing something. We decided they were missing SPICE!

When we got home we brainstormed how to make them better. Together we came up with these chicken tikka meatballs. This healthy Whole30 recipe is like the baby of baked chicken meatballs and traditional chicken tikka masala.

Once prepared, I quickly learned that my favorite part of this recipe is the sweet and spicy sauce. Be sure to serve this chicken meatball recipe with something that will soak up all that lovely sauce.

The obvious choice is some naan, but I also like to use cauliflower rice or zoodles!

Above view of chicken tikka meatballs in a pan with a spoon in it

What kitchen tools will I need to make these Chicken Tikka Meatballs?

Similar to my other recipes, you will only need a few simple kitchen tools in order to prepare this Whole30 chicken meatball recipe.

  • Sharp knife for dicing the onion and mincing the garlic and ginger
  • Mixing bowls to prepare the meatballs
  • A 1.5 tbsp measuring scoop for measuring meatballs
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • A large nonstick frying pan or enameled cast-iron casserole dish
  • Wooden mixing spoon
three quarter view of ground chicken meatballs in a tikka masala sauce

What ingredients will I need to make this healthy meal?

  • Ground chicken
  • Almond flour
  • Egg
  • Avocado oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic cloves
  • Fresh ginger
  • Salt
  • Garam Masala
  • Chili powder
  • Turmeric
  • Tomato paste
  • Tomato sauce
  • Full fat coconut milk
  • Arrowroot starch

Let’s make a Whole30 dinner!

Step 1: Mix and Bake

First, preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, combine all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Next, scoop out 15 even-sized meatballs onto the baking sheet. Then, roll the meatballs into tight balls and bake for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Chop and Sauté

Then prepare the sauce by dicing the onion and mincing the garlic and ginger. Next, add oil to a pan and heat over medium-low heat with the onions for 4 minutes. Then, add the spices, garlic, ginger, and tomato paste and continue to saute.

After a couple of minutes, pour in the tomato sauce and full fat coconut milk. Then, mix the sauce together with wooden mixing spoon. Finally, increase the heat to medium-high until the sauce bubbles.

Step 3: Simmer and Combine

Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes. Next, pour in the arrowroot starch and water slurry to thicken the sauce. Finally, roll the cooked meatballs in the sauce to coat and garnish with cilantro.

Step 4: Enjoy!

chicken tikka recipe on a plate with cauliflower rice

Can I make this ground chicken meatball recipe ahead of time and freeze it?

Yes. After cooking them, allow the chicken tikka meatballs and sauce to cool completely. Then, place them in an airtight container to freeze.

When you want to eat them, defrost this chicken tikka recipe completely in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.

How long will this baked chicken meatball recipe last in the fridge?

Keep the chicken tikka meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

Grab the full recipe for Chicken Tikka Meatballs down below! If you make these please rate and review in the comments or share it with me on Instagram!

pinterest image for chicken tikka meatballs
Recipe

Chicken Tikka Meatballs

★★★★★ 5 from 15 reviews

A Whole30 and paleo friendly twist on chicken tikka masala.

**NOTE this recipe makes a lot of sauce! We like extra for dipping, but if you are doubling the recipe I recommend just doubling the meatballs and not the sauce.

Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 10Cook: 25Total: 35 minutes
Print Pin it Rate recipe Save recipe
Servings: 3 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 15oz can tomatoe sauce
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 2 tbsp water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl
  3. Using a 1.5 tbsp measuring scoop, scoop out meatballs onto the baking sheet and roll into tighter balls (about 15 meatballs)
  4. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven
  5. While the meatballs bake, dice the onion, and mince the garlic and ginger
  6. Heat avocoado oil in a large nonstick frying pan or an enameled cast iron casserole dish over medium-low heat
  7. Add the diced onion to the pan and saute until soft and fragrant about 4 minutes
  8. Add ginger, garlic and spices to the pan and saute for another minute
  9. Add tomato paste to the pan and saute for another minute
  10. Pour tomato sauce and coconut milk to the pan, mix thoroughly and increase the heat to medium-high until the sauce bubbles
  11. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes
  12. Combine arrowroot starch and water mixture in a small bowl until fully combined
  13. While stirring the sauce, slowly pour in the water and arrowroot starch mixture
  14. Allow the sauce to simmer for another minute until the sauce thickens
  15. Turn off heat and add baked meatballs to the pan. Toss the meatballs so that they are fully covered in the sauce
  16. Serve the meatballs immediately with zoodles or cauliflower rice or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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About Madeline

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

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Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Elizabeth says

    Posted on 1/4 at 4:52 pm

    So flavorful and delicious! The recipe doubled was perfect for our family of 6. We will definitely make it again very soon, so easy to make too!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/5 at 2:18 pm

      YAY! So glad! Thank you for sharing that doubled worked for your family of 6. That will help others 🙂

      Reply
  2. Audrey says

    Posted on 1/13 at 5:27 pm

    Im allergic to all nuts what can i use in place of almond flour?
    Enjoying your recipes

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/13 at 7:50 pm

      Hi! You can use 1 tbsp coconut flour or 1/4 cup cassava flour. Or if you arent on the WHole30 you can use standard all purpose flour.

      Reply
    • Ashley says

      Posted on 1/16 at 6:51 pm

      So good!! Substituted coconut flour since I was out of almond but I don’t think we would have known the difference. So flavorful yet simple to prepare. Even my fiance, who is a picky eater and not participating in whole30, said it was wonderful. Thanks for making my whole30 journey delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Madeline says

        Posted on 1/16 at 6:55 pm

        Oh good! So glad that sub worked!! And picky fiance approved is a HUGE win in my book!!

        Reply
  3. Christine says

    Posted on 1/19 at 8:59 pm

    This is absolutely fantastic! Will be going in my rotation. All of your recipes are phenomenal. Thank you so much for sharing!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/19 at 9:25 pm

      Thank you for sharing!! So glad you love it as much as I do!!

      Reply
  4. Kellie says

    Posted on 2/11 at 1:04 pm

    These were fantastic! Our family of 6 loved them. Well, my husband and I and 3 out 4 kids loved them. The other kid ate them without complaining so I count that as a win. 😊 I made a double batch which was the perfect amount of meatballs, but next time I’ll probably double the meatballs but not the sauce. Thanks so much for such a great, easy recipe!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 2/11 at 6:58 pm

      Yay!! I am SO glad! I’ve gotten that comment about the sauce a few times. We like to have a lot of extra so I will make a note about that in the post!

      Reply
  5. Sarah S says

    Posted on 4/5 at 9:00 pm

    Made these for a potluck, and no big deal, but the dish was the star of the evening. Definitely one of my favorite meatball dishes… ever!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 4/6 at 7:31 am

      YES always good to be the hit of the potluck!

      Reply
  6. Laura says

    Posted on 5/1 at 1:43 pm

    Best tikka masala sauce I ever had!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 5/3 at 9:33 am

      Ah such a compliment! Thank you!!

      Reply
  7. Chyann says

    Posted on 5/12 at 2:05 pm

    So so delicious!! I am vegetarian and not doing whole 30, so I subbed the meatballs for veggie meatballs and used regular rice. I love dippin’ also so the sauce amount was perfect. I’ll definitely be making this again and again. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 5/12 at 8:25 pm

      Oh thats awesome!! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  8. Megan says

    Posted on 8/31 at 4:45 pm

    I LOVE this recipe! I have made this every month since finding it and it’s always a crowd pleaser. I love how easy it is and how I always have leftover sauce for dipping.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 9/1 at 11:30 am

      Thank you for sharing!! I am so so glad!

      Reply
  9. Jackie says

    Posted on 9/21 at 8:40 pm

    Literally drinking the sauce with a spoon!!! Soooo good

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  10. Brittany says

    Posted on 9/27 at 9:35 pm

    So yummy. One of the only things that I meal prep and STILL want more of after eating it for dinner 5 days straight lol

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 9/27 at 10:15 pm

      LOL I love that!! Thank you!

      Reply
  11. Joy O says

    Posted on 12/28 at 4:19 pm

    Made this during my first (and only) Whole30 last year. While I won’t be doing Whole30 again, I will keep this recipe in my regular rotation cause it’s just so damn good. Bonus: I subbed out some of the more specialty Whole30 ingredients for some more common pantry staples (arrowroot starch for cornstarch, regular rice, etc) and it still works great. Another hit in my book.

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 12/28 at 9:27 pm

      amazing!! I agree perfect for any time not just whole30

      Reply
  12. Christina D says

    Posted on 1/8 at 11:39 am

    Absolutely delicious and so easy for a college kid like myself to prep and have ready for the week!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/8 at 10:21 pm

      amazing!! so smart to prep them ahead!!

      Reply
  13. Lindsey Faith says

    Posted on 1/9 at 10:36 am

    This is a staple in our home! We been making this for over a year now and it’s our two year old daughter’s favorite meal!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/12 at 9:10 am

      YAY!! love that so much. Thank you!

      Reply
  14. Grace says

    Posted on 1/15 at 7:52 pm

    This was so so good. I doubled the meatballs but didn’t double the sauce and there was still plenty of sauce. I’ve never made a sauce like this from scratch and was so pleased with how it turned out – thank you for this recipe!!

    Reply
  15. Anne King says

    Posted on 1/19 at 1:09 pm

    I have made these meatballs a few times and they are a huge hit with my family. I doubled the recipe to have leftovers for lunches, but they didn’t make it past a day. SO YUM! I used AP flower in the sauce, because its what I had on hand and it worked beautifully,

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/21 at 9:24 am

      amazing!! Thank you!

      Reply
  16. Florencia says

    Posted on 3/3 at 8:55 pm

    Thank you Madeleine! It was delicious. We sliced them thin and made a naan pizza with the meatballs, sauce, and mozzarella. It was really good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 3/4 at 1:39 pm

      wow that sounds amazing!! Thank you!

      Reply
  17. Jessica says

    Posted on 3/29 at 8:46 pm

    This is my third time making this recipe and it’s a fave for meal prepping! So delicious, quick and easy ☺️

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 3/30 at 10:00 pm

      Thank you Jessica!

      Reply
  18. Kelly says

    Posted on 10/28 at 10:48 am

    i have not made this yet but the video is making me give it 5 stars!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  19. Katherine says

    Posted on 6/7 at 9:52 pm

    Wow, this is an amazing recipe. It turned out to be so delicious! Thank you so much!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 6/9 at 2:57 pm

      thank you Katherine!

      Reply
  20. Lisa says

    Posted on 1/15 at 8:26 am

    Your recipe looks delicious and I’d love to try it. 2 questions though:
    1 – how might I reduce the sodium content as we need to manage our salt intake? Any suggestions?
    2- I am unfamiliar with garum masala (I live in the US and have not previously heard of it).

    Thank you

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/15 at 7:43 pm

      1. You can lessen the amount of salt you put in for both the chicken and the sauce. Other than that, I am unsure that any of the items containing sodium can be removed for it to still be Tikka Masala.

      2) Garam Masala can be bought at most grocery stores. It is an Indian spice. If you cannot find Garam Masala, you can make it using:
      · Cumin
      · Coriander
      · Cardamom
      · Black pepper
      · Cinnamon
      · Cloves
      · Nutmeg

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

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