These easy Teriyaki and Pineapple Meatballs will be your new weeknight favorite! These are chicken meatballs and they are my go-to for a quick, flavorful and protein-packed meal. They're juicy, sweet, savory, and irresistibly delicious! They come together in less than 30 minutes and pair great with your favorite grains and veggies! Glaze them with a sticky homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce for the most flavorful bite!
What are Teriyaki and Pineapple Meatballs?
These saucy meatballs are a combination of Asian flavors with a tropical twist! Made with ground chicken, jalapeños, diced pineapple and other seasonings, it results in a flavorful and juicy meatball. With no breadcrumbs, these teriyaki pineapple meatballs are full of protein and no filler! Tossed with a homemade teriyaki sauce sweetened with pineapple juice and pineapple chunks, it'll be a little meaty bite of paradise!
Think of them as a sweet and savory meatball recipe that’s easy enough for weeknights but also special enough to serve to guests. Plus, they taste just as good at room temperature—which makes them ideal for meal prepping or packing into a lunchbox.
Why you'll love this Teriyaki and Pineapple Meatballs Recipe
- Quick and easy - Comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- Protein packed - There are no bread crumbs, which means less room for fillers and more room for lean chicken!
- Great for meal prepping - Stores and reheats well, making it great to eat throughout the week!
- Customizable - Eat it as is for a low carb meal or pair it with your favorite veggies, grains, or salad!
Whether you’re looking for healthy ground chicken recipes, easy weeknight dinners, or a fun twist on classic meatballs, this one checks all the boxes.
Need other meal prep ideas? Try my burger bowl or BBQ tuna sandwich!
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Ingredients
- Ground chicken - I like 92% lean ground chicken.
- Canned pineapple - Canned is CRUCIAL in this recipe and cannot be replaced with fresh pineapple. The pineapple keeps the chicken moist and juicy while adding a hint of sweetness.
- Jalapeno - For a slight kick!
- Salt - I always use Diamond Crystal Salt but any kosher salt will do!
- Paprika - For some smokiness.
- Garlic - To add aromatic flavor to the meatballs and the teriyaki sauce.
- Black pepper - To add a peppery flavor to the meatballs and teriyaki sauce.
- Mirin - For a richer sweetness.
- Soy sauce - I like using low sodium.
- Brown sugar - For a deeper and darker sweetness. I use golden sugar with allulose to keep it lower in calories.
- Pineapple juice - Natural sweetness and pineapple flavor.
- Arrowroot starch - To thicken the teriyaki sauce. Can substitute with cornstarch.
- Water - To dissolve the arrowroot starch and thin out the sauce.
- Sesame seeds - Topper for a classic teriyaki sauce!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make these Teriyaki and Pineapple Meatballs
Substitutions and Variations
- Other add-ins - Use freshly grated ginger and scallions for a more classic aromatic flavor!
- Spicier - Add cayenne pepper in the meatballs or even a minced Thai chili for more heat!
- Gluten-free - Use gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free mirin!
- Protein - Swap out chicken for turkey or ground beef!
Storage
Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Set aside extra sauce to coat them when heating them up!
Top tip
Use canned pineapple in this recipe! Fresh pineapple has an enzyme that breaks down protein, which will result in mushy chicken meatballs! Canned pineapple is heat treated which causes the enzyme to be denatured or inactivated. This will not break down our meatballs, giving it the perfect texture.
FAQ
Overworking the meat will result in a tough meatball. Mix the ground chicken with the seasonings and add-ins just until combined.
The meatballs will become mushy if you used fresh pineapple instead of canned. Fresh pineapple has an enzyme that breaks down protein, which results in mushy meatballs. Use canned pineapple for best results and texture.
Teriyaki and Pineapple Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup canned pineapple minced
- 1 large jalapeno minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Teriyaki Sauce
- 2 tablespoon mirin
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ cup canned pineapple juice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoon sesame seeds
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, add ground chicken, jalapeno, garlic, pineapple, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix it.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the chicken mixture into 1 inch meatballs.
Oven Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions
- Place the meatballs on a air fryer liner and air fry at 400F for 8-10 minutes.
Teriyaki Sauce Instructions
- In a pan add garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar. Mix together arrowroot starch and water until the arrowroot starch dissolves and add it to the pan.
- Bring the teriyaki sauce to a boil until the sauce starts thickening. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in sesame seeds and remove from heat.
- Remove the meatballs from the oven and glaze on the teriyaki sauce. Enjoy with rice and your favorite veggies.
Notes
- Don't overwork the meatballs. This will result in tough meatballs.
- Use canned pineapple!
- Since there are no breadcrumbs in this recipe, glazing the sauce onto the meatballs will help the meatballs stay in tact, as opposed to tossing the meatballs in the sauce.
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