Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.

These PERUVIAN CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH GREEN SAUCE are the perfect holiday or Super Bowl appetizer! The Peruvian green sauce, made with a parsley base, is just the right amount of spicy. The drop meatballs are just the right amount of easy. It comes together to create the perfect recipe!

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs are so delicious, especially when paired with this amazing green sauce recipe. Easy drop meatballs make the perfect easy appetizer!

My mom makes this AMAZING Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce, and it’s a big family favorite. It’s such a simple recipe, but it’s so full of flavor you wouldn’t believe it. For this holiday season, we thought it would be so good in appetizer form!

We have been on a bit of a meatball kick lately, so I thought that would be the perfect way to turn this favorite recipe into a snackable hit. These Chicken Meatballs are extra easy, because they’re DROP MEATBALLS, which means you don’t have to get your hands as dirty. I really appreciate that, because making meatballs can be less than pleasant sometimes…

These Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce should be at all of your holiday parties this year: Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, all of them. I promise they’ll be a huge hit!

Make these Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with an amazing Green Sauce to serve at your next party. Drop Meatballs make the perfect appetizer for any occasion!

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (3)

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

Peruvian Green Sauce

You guys, this green sauce is AMAZING. It’s easier to just call it green sauce, instead of calling it THE MOST AMAZING SAUCE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD MADE WITH CILANTRO, BASIL, JALAPENO, and so much more. It’s one of my favorite sauces ever, and I know you’re going to love it. We are just so addicted! I love it so much, I wrote a full recipe about this green Aji Verde Sauce here. Get more details on how to make this and some other ways to use it!

Easy Drop Meatballs (Chicken, Turkey, or Beef)

I love these delicious drop meatballs paired with the green sauce. I used chicken, but you can also use turkey or beef if you prefer. No matter what kind of meat you use, this recipe comes out tasting amazing!

The drop meatballs are super easy to make, and less messy than regular meatballs too. Use a small scoop to make 1-inch chicken meatballs, then DROP them onto a baking sheet to cook. No messy hands here!

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (5)

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (6)

It’s important to have amazing appetizers on hand for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s even more important to have amazing appetizers on hand for the Super Bowl! (which will be here before we all know it) Bookmark this Chicken Meatball recipe, because I have a feeling it will be a family favorite for you, just like it is for us.

See the recipe card below for details on how to make Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce. Enjoy!

Try some of our other favorite meatball recipes too:

  • Swedish Meatballs
  • Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
  • Chicken Parm Meatballs
  • Mozzarella Stuffed Italian Meatballs
  • Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs
  • Cranberry co*cktail Meatballs
  • Orange Marmalade Meatballs
  • Grape Jelly Meatballs

Recipe

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce

4.29 from 7 votes

Author: Susie Gall

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (7)

Serves4

Print Rate

Save Shop our store

These PERUVIAN CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH GREEN SAUCE are the perfect holiday or Super Bowl appetizer! The Peruvian green sauce, made with a parsley base, is just the right amount of spicy. The drop meatballs are just the right amount of easy.

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (8)

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Peruvian Green Sauce (click for recipe)

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1- teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1- teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1- tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1- teaspoon ginger paste or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce or Soy Sauce

Instructions

For the Green Sauce:

  • Combine all ingredients except the mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt) in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, a blender or a stick blender. If using a food processor (see note below), process on HIGH until a smooth paste forms. This could take a few minutes. Pause every minute to push the paste down from the sides with a rubber spatula. Once a smooth paste is created, add the oil with the processor on HIGH and process until paste is fully hom*ogenous. Taste and, if necessary, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  • *Note – if using a blender or a stick blender, add all except the mayonnaise. After the paste forms, add the mayonnaise or Greek yogurt and process 2 minutes on HIGH.

  • Using a blender or stick blender creates a smoother paste.

  • Refrigerate and reheat if using at a later date.

For the Peruvian Meatballs:

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix gently until all ingredients are well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

  • After meat has been seasoned at least 30 minutes, remove it from the refrigerator. Scoop the ground chicken with a 1-inch scoop and drop the “meatballs” onto the prepared baking sheet with 1 inch between each meatball. Place the meatballs in the preheated oven and bake 12-15 minutes until meatballs are just cooked through. Do not overbake.

  • Remove meatballs from oven.

To serve:

  • Pour enough sauce in a small skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the meatballs over the green sauce and cook over medium-low heat until sauce is heated through and meatballs are hot.

  • Drizzle the tops of the meatballs with green sauce and serve immediately.

  • Enjoy!

  • *The meatballs can be made up to two days ahead and the sauce up to 5 days ahead.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 178kcal (9%) Carbohydrates: 3g (1%) Protein: 20g (40%) Fat: 9g (14%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Cholesterol: 97mg (32%) Sodium: 82mg (4%) Potassium: 610mg (17%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 345IU (7%) Calcium: 11mg (1%) Iron: 1.4mg (8%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (9)

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (10)

Upload A PhotoTag on
Insta
Leave A Rating

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (11)

Claim your free ebook!

Subscribe to have posts delivered straight to your inbox!! PLUS get our FREE ebook!

Sign Me Up

Peruvian Chicken Meatballs with Green Sauce (Drop Meatballs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

How to make tight meatballs? ›

  1. Use extra eggs as a binder. I doubled the egg binder to make sure the meat held together. ...
  2. Add melted butter to the meat if it's less than 80/20. Low fat meatballs fall apart in the cooking process. ...
  3. Chill the meatballs or freeze them. Cold meatballs hold together better.
Jun 26, 2012

Why are my meatballs tough? ›

When meatballs are tough, it's often because they've been overworked. Start by thoroughly mixing all of the ingredients except for the ground meat. Once you add the meat, you want to work it only just enough so the ingredients are evenly distributed.

How do you salvage meatballs? ›

Salvaging Cooked Meatballs

If you have the time, pierce them all over with a toothpick or fork and drop them into broth or a sauce. They'll absorb moisture from a broth or thin sauce in as little as 30 minutes.

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

What is the secret to making tender meatballs? ›

Breadcrumbs: I add breadcrumbs for texture. I also love substituting them for crushed saltine crackers like we do for this meatloaf. Milk: Adds moisture and tenderizes the meat, making our meatballs juicy and tender once cooked. Egg: Adds more moisture and helps the mixture firm up once cooked.

What does adding milk to meatballs do? ›

Add Milk for Moisture

A little bit of milk will add moisture to your meatballs. (Many people think it's the eggs that add the moisture, but their role is to bind the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese and herbs.)

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook? ›

Tenderizing the Meat:

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

How do you make meatballs that aren't tough? ›

Pick the right meats.

While you can make meatballs out of any ground meat, fattier meats like beef, lamb, and pork will yield more tender meatballs. If you use leaner meats like chicken or turkey, be careful not to overcook them or they can become tough. For great flavor, use a blend of different kinds of ground meats.

Do meatballs need a binder? ›

The Key to Tender Meatballs

One trick to making sure meatballs are totally tender once they're cooked is to use a binder.

What to substitute for breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

The Best 10 Breadcrumb Substitutes
  • Rolled oats. Rolled oats are the perfect gluten-free binding ingredient, replacing breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf and many more recipes when you need to bind meat and eggs. ...
  • Potato chips. ...
  • Cornflakes. ...
  • Almonds. ...
  • Croutons. ...
  • Crackers. ...
  • Seeds.
Oct 18, 2022

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 6582

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.