Asian Chicken Meatball Soup Recipe
A delicious, nourishing Asian-style chicken meatball soup with bok choy. A quick & easy 30-minute dinner!
How to Make the Best Asian Chicken Meatball Soup
This Asian Chicken Meatball Soup is the perfect comforting meal when you want something nourishing and flavorful without spending hours in the kitchen. The aromatic meatballs are infused with lemongrass, ginger, and garlic, giving this soup an incredible depth of flavor that will warm you from the inside out.
What makes this soup special is how the tender chicken meatballs cook directly in the fragrant broth, releasing all their delicious flavors into the liquid. The addition of fresh bok choy or Asian greens at the end adds a vibrant color and satisfying crunch, while a drizzle of toasted sesame oil ties everything together beautifully.
Ready in just 35 minutes, this soup is ideal for busy weeknights when you need a healthy, satisfying dinner on the table fast. Feel free to customize it with your favorite greens, add rice noodles for a heartier meal, or adjust the heat level with more or less fresh chilies.
Asian Chicken Meatball Soup
A delicious, nourishing Asian-style chicken meatball soup with bok choy. A quick & easy 30-minute dinner!
Ingredients
Meatballs
Soup
Garnish
Instructions
Make the Meatballs
- Place ground chicken and the rest of the meatball ingredients – salt, lemongrass, shallot, ginger, garlic, green tops of scallions and jalapeño – into a medium bowl, and using wet hands, mix until combined well.
- Using wet hands, form into small cherry to walnut-sized balls (.75 ounces) understanding they will swell in the broth (almost twice the size) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Make the Soup
- Heat the broth or stock in a big pot and add the white parts of the scallions (or leeks). Bring to a gentle boil. Add a pinch of white pepper and salt to taste.
- Gently drop the raw meatballs into the simmering broth.
- Gently simmer the meatballs until cooked through, about 5 minutes (they will take longer if frozen). Remember the smaller the meatballs, the faster they will cook. They will float when done, but best to always test one first.
- During the last minute of cooking add the greens to the pot, so they wilt and become tender – but not too long that they lose their vibrant color.
- Toss in the fresh herbs and remaining scallions and serve immediately.
- Divide among bowls, top with a few slices of fresh chilies for heat, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil for added depth and flavor.
Notes
- Form the meatballs small – they will nearly double in size when cooked in the broth.
- You can substitute ground turkey, beef, pork, or a mix for the ground chicken.
- The meatballs can be made ahead and frozen. Drop them directly into the simmering broth from frozen, just add a few extra minutes of cooking time.
