Thai Chicken Meatballs w/ Kale, Red Pepper & Green Coconut Curry

I love Thai food. Whether spicy or mild, the layers of unique flavors always hit the spot for me.  I can't remember where I saw the recipe below, but it went right into a draft to try. It takes a little effort to make, but all the steps are simple and and the ingredients easy to find.

Last night offered the perfect opportunity.  I had a quiet day and could relax and cook without pressure.  Right from the start I made a change. Most recipes use Thai Red Curry paste.  I personally prefer Thai Green Curry paste,  so I went with that and used the same amount.  My husband doesn't like food too spicy so I was worried, but the green paste I bought wasn't that hot. I could have added a little more.  

You can serve this with anything - rice, noodles of any kind, or couscous would be my top choices, but it's up to you. This time, I had a package of Siam Glass Noodles to use up (a part of a kit - I threw away the sauce packet). These rice vermicelli noodles are super skinny, so were ready in just 5 minutes (you simply soak them in boiling water). The original recipe also only added red pepper. I wanted more veggies, so threw in a cup of finely chopped kale. Might add a little more next time. 

The results were overall great. I especially loved the meatballs which had lots of flavor. The glass noodles are mild so they let the recipe take center stage.  The one downside? The curry sauce was a bit bland.  As this is definitely a dish I will be making again, I looked at several other recipes to get ideas for what to add. Below the first 4 ingredients reflect the original sauce.  The following 6 are the kale I added this time, and the additions I will make next time to amp up the sauce flavor. Can't wait to see how it turns out. 

Enjoy!

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Thai Chicken Meatballs w/ Kale, Red Pepper & Green Coconut Curry 

Meatballs - 

1 lb.                     Ground chicken 

2 cloves               Garlic, minced 

1 T                       Fresh ginger, grated or nunced

2                          Green onions, finely sliced 

1                          Egg 

1/4 C                   Panko breadcrumbs 

1 T                       Soy sauce 

1 teaspoon fish sauce 

Green Curry Sauce - 

1 - 2 T                   Thai green curry paste 

13.5 oz. can         Coconut milk (about 1-3/4 C)

1 T                       Vegetable oil 

1                           Red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

1 C                       Kale, finely chopped (might add a bit more next time)

1 T                       Fish Sauce

1 T                       Brown Sugar

1/2 C                    Chicken Broth

1/4 C                    Cilantro, chopped

2 T                        Basil, Chopped

Juice of one Lemon

Instructions -

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). 

In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic, ginger, green onions, egg, panko breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Mix well with your hands or a wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Use your hands to shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) in diameter. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned on the outside. (note - I turned them once near the end to brown the other side.)

While the meatballs are baking, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and add the kale. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Then add rest of the ingredients (red pepper, fish sauce, broth, cilantro, basil and lemon juice) as well as the cooked meatballs.  Simmer until the meatballs are well coated in the sauce and the red pepper has softened a bit. Note - With the addition of the broth, the sauce might need to be thickened a bit at the very end. If so, the best option is a some cornstarch dissolved in a small amount of water.

Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal and garnish with sliced green onions if you want.