There are two great reasons why this Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs will be your new favorite weeknight recipe. First, you make the seasoning mixture for the meatballs, divide it in half after it is sauteed, and it becomes the base for your meatballs AND THE SAUCE. So far so good, right? 
But then there is another great reason why Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs will be in your life forever. YOU DON’T NEED TO COOK THE MEATBALLS before you put them in the sauce. Not kidding about this.
These meatballs are as light as a feather
Because the meatballs cook in the sauce, they take on the texture of having been poached. They absorb every exciting flavor of the spices and tomato sauce and they become incredibly juicy and flavorful. These meatballs are as good as your grandmother’s. Assuming your grandmother can/could make meatballs as well as mine did.
The slow cooker does all the work and you can make these ahead of time
You can make the meatball mixture and the sauce mixture the night before you cook this dish. Just refrigerate them separately. When you plug the slow cooker in to make these Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs, you are starting a journey to happiness. Not exaggerating. Your house will smell so delicious and no one will be disappointed with these on the menu.
I serve them with jasmine or basmati rice and a simple roasted vegetable like asparagus, green beans or brussels sprouts.
Take a short break from eating cookies all day
Everyone needs a bit of a break from all those Holiday Cookie Exchanges and this healthy, low fat dish will check all your dinner boxes!
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Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- ½ cup chopped cilantro divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
For the sauce
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup fat free half and half
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- Basmati or jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
For the meatballs:
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Put the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat or in the slow cooker if it has the sauté feature. Add the red onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala and ground coriander. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent. Remove half the mixture from the pan or slow cooker and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
For the sauce:
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To the remaining half of the onion and garlic mixture in the slow cooker, add the tomatoes and honey and turn the slow cooker to the low setting.
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In a large bowl combine the ground chicken, the reserved and cooled onion and garlic mixture, the egg and the chopped cilantro.
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Form the meatballs into 1 ½ inch balls and gently place them in the sauce. Cover the slow cooker and cook the meatballs for 6 hours on low setting.
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Remove the meatballs from the slow cooker and raise the heat to high. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and half and half. Add the half and half mixture to the slow cooker and cook until the sauce is thickened. Add the meatballs back to the sauce with the cilantro and heat for 10 minutes on high.
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Serve the meatballs over the rice.
Amazing recipe. Can’t wait to try.
Many thanks for stopping by my blog! Happy Holidays!