Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs (High Protein)

These Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs are an easy, high-protein alternative to a Chinese takeaway. Juicy chicken meatballs are packed with garlic, ginger and Chinese five spice, baked in the oven and then tossed with red and green peppers, pineapple and a deliciously tangy homemade sweet and sour sauce.

Cooked meatballs in a sweet and sour sauce.

Serve them over fluffy brown rice with a scattering of sesame seeds and spring onions for a satisfying dinner that's packed with flavour.

We love making our own versions of takeaway favourites, especially when they are this easy. There's something so comforting about meatballs, and swapping the usual tomato sauce for a sticky sweet and sour sauce makes a really nice change and is saving us so much money from not ordering takeaway.

One of my favourite things about this recipe is that the meatballs cook in the oven while I get everything else ready. Perfect for those evenings when everyone is hungry and I don't want to be standing over the hob for ages.

The meatballs are baked rather than fried, which means less hands-on cooking and no need for a pan full of oil. I can get the peppers, sauce and rice ready while they are in the oven.

It's also a great way to get some extra vegetables into dinner, and you can easily adjust the sweetness or spice level to suit your family.

Recipe update: Originally published in September 2016, this recipe was fully retested and updated in October 2026. It now uses ready-made chicken mince rather than blending chicken breasts, with updated ingredient quantities, step-by-step photographs and additional cooking tips.

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Jump to:

Why You'll Love Them
Recipe Overview
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs
How to Make Juicy Chicken Meatballs
Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce
Variations
What To Serve with Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Can You Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs Ahead?
Storage and Freezing
Dannii's Top Tips
Troubleshooting Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
More Chinese Recipes
Recipe
Feedback

Why You'll Love Them

High in protein - Chicken mince is the main ingredient, making this a satisfying, protein-rich dinner.
A healthier-style takeaway alternative - Oven-baked meatballs rather than battered, deep-fried chicken, with the option to make your own sweet and sour sauce.
Easy to make - No need to get the food processor out to mince chicken breast. Just combine the ingredients, roll into balls and bake.
Family friendly - A mild sweet and sour sauce, colourful vegetables and juicy meatballs. You can always add chilli to individual portions.
Great for meal prep - The cooked meatballs can be made ahead and frozen for another day.

Recipe Overview

Prep: 10 minutes.
Cook: 20 minutes.
Servings: 4 (5 meatballs each).
Protein: 27 grams per serving.
Cooking method: Oven-baked, then tossed in sauce.
Flavour: Sweet, tangy and lightly spiced.
Texture: Juicy meatballs, sticky sauce and crunchy peppers.
Vegetables: Red and green peppers, with pineapple for sweetness.
Shortcut: Use shop-bought sweet and sour sauce.
Serve with: Brown rice, noodles or cauliflower rice.
Meal prep: Make ahead and freezer-friendly.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Chicken mince (ground chicken) - The main ingredient and what makes these meatballs high in protein. Using ready-minced chicken saves time and washing up. We use lean chicken mince, but you could also use turkey mince.
Shallots - These add flavour, a little sweetness and moisture to the meatballs. Dice them finely so they mix evenly through the chicken. You could use a small onion instead.
Chinese five spice - This gives the meatballs their lovely warm, aromatic flavour. A little goes a long way, so you don't need much.
Garlic and ginger paste - An easy shortcut that gives the meatballs plenty of flavour without needing to peel and grate fresh ginger or chop garlic. You can use fresh garlic and ginger instead if you prefer.
Egg - Helps bind everything together so the meatballs hold their shape.
Panko breadcrumbs - These absorb moisture and help keep the chicken meatballs tender. Regular dried breadcrumbs can be used instead.
Salt and pepper - To season the meatballs.
Oil spray - A light spray before baking helps the outside of the meatballs turn golden without needing to fry them.
Red and green bell peppers - They add colour, sweetness and a little crunch. You could use yellow or orange peppers too.
Pineapple chunks - We think pineapple is an essential part of a good sweet and sour dish. It adds little bursts of sweetness that balance the tangy sauce. Fresh pineapple or tinned pineapple in juice both work well.
Sesame oil - Adds a delicious nutty flavour to the peppers. You could use a neutral cooking oil instead.
Sweet and sour sauce - We use our easy sweet and sour sauce, which is made with passata, honey, apple cider vinegar and a few store cupboard ingredients. However, a good-quality shop-bought sweet and sour sauce works well too.
Brown rice - Our favourite way to serve these meatballs and turn them into a filling meal. You could use white rice or noodles instead.
Sesame seeds and spring onions (scallions) - Optional, but they add a lovely finishing touch.

More ways to adapt this recipe can be found in the Variations section below.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs

Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.

A mixing bowl containing chicken mince, chopped shallots, breadcrumbs, egg and Chinese 5 spice.

Make the meatball mixture: Put the chicken mince into a large bowl with the finely diced shallots, Chinese five spice, garlic paste, ginger paste, egg, panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Mix: Mix gently until everything is combined. Try not to overmix, as this can make chicken meatballs firm rather than tender.

Roll and bake the meatballs: Using slightly damp hands, roll the mixture into 20 evenly sized meatballs.

Twenty chicken meatballs on a baking tray, lightly coated with oil.

Put onto a baking tray: Arrange the meatballs on a lined baking tray, leaving a little space between each one. Spray lightly with oil.

Twenty cooked chicken meatballs on a baking tray.

Cook the meatballs: Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden and cooked all the way through.

A frying pan with chunks of red and green bell pepper in it.

Start the peppers: While the meatballs are baking, heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced red and green peppers.

Cook the peppers: Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but still with a little crunch.

Pineapple chunks and sweet and sour sauce added to the pan.

Add the meatballs and sauce: Add the cooked chicken meatballs to the pan along with the pineapple chunks and sweet and sour sauce.

Everything mixed together and cooked in the pan.

Stir it all together: Stir gently to coat everything and heat for a further 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbling.
Serve: Spoon the sweet and sour chicken meatballs over cooked brown rice and finish with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions.

How to Make Juicy Chicken Meatballs

Chicken mince is naturally lean, which is great for a protein-packed meal, but it also means the meatballs can dry out if they are overcooked.

The good news is that keeping them juicy is easy with a few simple tricks.

Firstly, don't overmix the chicken mince. You want everything combined, but working the mixture too much can make the finished meatballs dense.

The shallots, egg and breadcrumbs all play a part in keeping the mixture moist and helping it hold together. This is why we wouldn't recommend leaving out the breadcrumbs without making another adjustment.

Another important thing is to keep the meatballs similar in size so they all cook evenly. I find that using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon makes this much easier.

Finally, don't be tempted to leave them in the oven longer than necessary. They only need 15-18 minutes for the size used in this recipe, although ovens and meatball sizes will vary.

Make sure the largest meatball is cooked all the way through, reaching a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. A food thermometer is the most reliable way to check.

Once cooked, adding the meatballs to the sweet and sour sauce keeps everything lovely and saucy.

Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

The sauce really makes this recipe. We use our homemade sweet and sour sauce because it takes just a few minutes to make and gives you much more control over the flavour.

It's made with passata rather than ketchup, with honey for sweetness and apple cider vinegar for that classic tangy flavour. Pineapple juice adds some extra sweetness, while soy sauce brings savoury flavour.

You can adjust the sauce to suit your taste:

If it's too sweet, add a little more vinegar.
If it's too tangy, add a little more honey.
If you want some heat, add chilli flakes or a little chilli sauce.
If it's too thick, add a small splash of water.
If it's too thin, let it bubble gently for another minute or two, stirring regularly.

If you are using a shop-bought sauce, that's absolutely fine. It's a handy shortcut on busy evenings. Choose one you enjoy and use enough to coat the meatballs and vegetables generously.

We love having plenty of sauce because it soaks into the rice. Nobody wants a bowl of dry rice with their sweet and sour chicken!

Variations

There are lots of ways to adapt these sweet and sour meatballs depending on what you have in the fridge.

Use turkey mince - Ground turkey makes a good alternative to chicken. Cooking times may vary depending on the meatballs' size.

Add extra vegetables - Mushrooms, mangetout (snow peas), baby corn, broccoli or carrots can all work. Add firmer vegetables early enough to cook through.

Make it spicy - Add chilli flakes, sliced fresh chilli or a little sriracha to the sauce. We prefer to serve the chilli separately when making this for everyone.

Leave out the pineapple - If pineapple in savoury dishes isn't your thing, simply leave out the chunks and add some extra peppers or vegetables.

Make it gluten-free - Use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs and make sure the soy sauce or shop-bought sweet and sour sauce is gluten-free. Gluten-free tamari is a good alternative to regular soy sauce.

Use ready-made meatballs - If you are really short on time, you can use fully cooked shop-bought chicken meatballs. Just heat them thoroughly according to the packet instructions before coating in the sauce.

What To Serve with Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Our favourite way to serve these sweet and sour chicken meatballs is over a bowl of brown rice, with sesame seeds and spring onions on top.

The rice soaks up all that lovely sticky sauce and makes it a really satisfying dinner.

If you want to make your own rice, we have plenty of easy recipes:

Brown Rice and Quinoa - A great option when you want some extra fibre and texture.
Perfect Microwave Rice - Brilliant for busy evenings when you want a quick side dish.
Oven Cooked Rice - An easy hands-off option.
Healthy Egg Fried Rice - Perfect when you want to recreate a Chinese takeaway dinner at home.

⚠️ The nutritional values in the recipe card are for the meatballs and sauce only. Rice is not included in these values.

Two bowls of sweet and sour meatballs with rice.

You could also swap the rice for noodles or serve the meatballs with cauliflower rice.

For some extra vegetables, try our roasted pak choi, roasted tenderstem broccoli, cucumber edamame salad or our crunchy Asian slaw.

Another option is to make smaller meatballs and serve them as party food with sweet and sour sauce for dipping. For this version, leave out the peppers and pineapple to make them easier to pick up.

Can You Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs Ahead?

Yes! These chicken meatballs are great for preparing ahead of time.

You can mix and shape the raw meatballs, cover them and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to bake them. For advance preparation, I recommend making them the day before and keeping them properly chilled.

You could also cook the meatballs ahead and then add the sauce when you're ready to serve. If you're planning a takeaway-style dinner after a busy day, getting the meatballs prepared earlier makes everything feel so much easier.

Storage and Freezing

Store: Allow the cooked meatballs and sauce to cool quickly, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours.

Freeze: The cooked meatballs freeze well for up to 3 months. You can freeze them with the sweet and sour sauce, although the peppers will be a little softer once defrosted. For the best vegetable texture, freeze the cooked meatballs separately and make the peppers and sauce fresh.

Defrost: Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Reheat: Reheat the meatballs and sauce in a pan over a medium-low heat, stirring gently, until steaming hot throughout. You can also reheat them in the microwave, stirring partway through. Only reheat leftovers once.

If the sauce has thickened during storage, add a splash of water to loosen it.

I recommend storing your rice separately from the meatballs. Cool cooked rice quickly, refrigerate it and use it within 24 hours. Only reheat rice once, ensuring it is steaming hot throughout.

Dannii's Top Tips

Don't overmix the chicken mince. Combine everything until just mixed to keep the meatballs tender rather than dense.
Use a scoop for even-sized meatballs. This helps them all cook at the same rate.
Wet your hands before rolling. Chicken mince can be quite sticky, and slightly damp hands make shaping much easier.
Chill the mixture if needed. If the meatballs feel too soft to hold their shape, put them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Don't overcook the meatballs. Check them towards the end of the baking time, particularly if you've made smaller ones.
Use pineapple in juice, not syrup. Pineapple packed in syrup can make the finished dish overly sweet.
Keep some crunch in the peppers. Four to five minutes should soften them while leaving a little bite.
Make the sauce ahead. Having homemade sweet and sour sauce ready in the fridge makes this a particularly quick dinner.
Adjust the sauce to taste. Add vinegar for tanginess, honey for sweetness or chilli if you want more heat.
Make it spicier for adults. A pinch of red chilli flakes over individual portions is an easy way to keep the main dish mild for everyone.
Prepare the meatballs in advance. Shape them the day before and refrigerate, or freeze cooked meatballs for another meal.

A bowl of sweet and sour meatballs and rice in front of another bowl of the same.

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Meatball mixture is too sticky	Chicken mince is naturally sticky, and the mixture may be too warm.	Lightly wet your hands before shaping. If needed, chill the mixture for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to handle.
Meatballs are dry or tough	The mixture was overworked or the meatballs were overcooked.	Mix gently, make evenly sized balls and check they're cooked through to 74°C/165°F without leaving them in the oven unnecessarily.
Meatballs fall apart	The ingredients aren't evenly combined or the shallots are too chunky.	Finely dice the shallots, mix the egg and breadcrumbs evenly through the mince and allow the meatballs to set during baking before moving them.
Sweet and sour sauce is too thin	The sauce hasn't thickened sufficiently or extra liquid has been added.	Simmer gently for another minute or two, stirring until the sauce coats the meatballs.
Sauce tastes too sweet or tangy	The balance of honey, vinegar and pineapple isn't quite right for your taste.	Add a splash of vinegar if it's too sweet, or a little honey if it's too sharp. Use pineapple in juice rather than syrup.
Peppers are too soft	They've been cooked for too long before adding the sauce.	Fry for just 4-5 minutes to keep some crunch, then heat briefly with the meatballs and sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko?

Yes. Regular dried breadcrumbs work well in chicken meatballs, although the texture can be slightly different. Panko breadcrumbs have a lighter, coarser texture, but both help to bind the meatballs and keep them tender.

Why are my chicken meatballs dry?

Overcooking is the most common reason. Because chicken mince is lean, cooking it for too long can result in dry meatballs. Mix the ingredients gently, keep the meatballs a similar size and use a food thermometer to avoid overbaking.
Adding the cooked meatballs to the sauce also helps keep the finished dish moist.

How do you stop chicken meatballs falling apart?

Make sure the egg and breadcrumbs are evenly mixed through the chicken mince. Finely dice the shallots and avoid making the meatballs too large.
If the mixture feels particularly soft or sticky, you can refrigerate the shaped meatballs for 10-15 minutes before baking. Damp hands also make them easier to shape.

Can I use chicken thigh mince?

Yes. Chicken thigh mince generally contains a little more fat than very lean chicken breast mince, which can make the finished meatballs particularly juicy. Check that they're cooked through before serving.

Can I use a jar of sweet and sour sauce?

Absolutely. Homemade sauce gives you more control over the ingredients, but a good-quality shop-bought sauce works well and saves time.

Can I make this without pineapple?

Yes. Leave out the pineapple chunks and replace them with extra vegetables if you prefer. You can still use the homemade sweet and sour sauce, or choose a sauce that doesn't contain pineapple.

Can I make the sweet and sour chicken meatballs in the air fryer?

The main recipe has been developed for the oven. You can cook chicken meatballs in an air fryer, but the temperature and cooking time will depend on the size of the meatballs and your particular appliance. Ensure they are fully cooked before serving with the sauce.

Can you freeze sweet and sour chicken meatballs?

Yes! These baked chicken meatballs freeze well for up to 3 months, either on their own or coated in sweet and sour sauce. The peppers will soften slightly after freezing, so for the best texture, freeze the meatballs separately and add fresh vegetables when reheating. See our Storage and Freezing section above for full instructions.

More Chinese Recipes

If you've tried this Sweet and Sour Meatball recipe, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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The 30-minute cooking time in this recipe card assumes your sweet and sour sauce is ready to use. Prepare the rice alongside the meatballs, or use microwave rice for a quicker dinner.