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Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs reads umami 6.8, salinity 5.2 and richness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 24 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Salinity 5.2 · Richness 4.9 · Allium 3.9 · Sourness 3.3 · Nutty 3.3 · Sweetness 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Floral 1.3 · Earthy 0.9 · Heat 0.8 · Bitterness 0.7

What's in it (16)

• chicken — 454 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• egg — 100 g
• scallions — 400 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• soybean soy sauce — 118 g
• light-brown sugar — 67 g
• rice wine vinegar — 22 g
• cornstarch — 15 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• white rice — 532 g
• water — 30 g

Time & effort: about 24 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 194.2 kcal, 8.2 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 30.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, egg, scallion whites, half the garlic, half the ginger, salt, and pepper; mix gently with your hands until just combined — overmixing makes the meatballs dense.
2. Roll the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and arrange them on the prepared sheet.
3. Bake until firm and starting to brown at the edges, 15-17 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the center.
4. While the meatballs bake, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; add the remaining garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds — don't let it brown or it turns bitter.
5. Whisk in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar; bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
6. Stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce; cook, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
7. Once the meatballs are done, transfer them straight into the saucepan and gently toss to coat; set over low heat and simmer, turning occasionally, until sticky and deeply glazed, 2-3 minutes.
8. Serve the meatballs over the rice, spooning any extra glaze on top, and scatter with the scallion greens.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken Teriyaki with Steamed Rice — Japanese
• Chicken Teriyaki Meal Prep Bowls — Japanese
• Egg Roll Bowl with Ground Turkey — Chinese-American
• Hoisin-Glazed Pork Meatballs with Rice — Chinese-American
• Grilled Sesame Soy Flank Steak — Fusion

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.