Tasty for dinner, or healthy appetizer. If you have a taste for spicy foods, try adding more garlic and/or some fresh chili peppers to the mix. You can substitute cornstarch for flour if there's none available. Covering the meatballs with sugar adds a glaze, and smooths out the spicy flavor, but is optional to lower the calories.
Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 small shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, minced
½ cup chopped cilantro (save half for topping when served)
4 tablespoons finely chopped mint, (save half for serving)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
dash of kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 head Boston or red leaf lettuce, leaves separated
1 small seedless cucumber—peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 small red onion, sliced thin
Asian chili sauce, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°. Chop chicken until coarsely ground, using a cleaver or food processor to make it easier. Transfer to a bowl. Add the fish sauce, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chopped cilantro and mint, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix with your hands.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
If adding sugar - spread the sugar on a plate. Roll the chicken mixture into 1 or 2-inch balls. Roll the meatballs in the sugar until they are evenly coated. Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet and bake them for 15 minutes, until they are lightly browned.
While baking, arrange the lettuce, cilantro and mint leaves, cucumber and onion on a platter. Transfer the meatballs to the platter and serve with chili sauce.
Recipe by DietSmarter.com at https://www.dietsmarter.com/uncategorized/vietnamese-chicken-meatballs-lettuce-wraps/