Dairy Free Butter Chicken Meatballs

Classic Indian flavors come to life in these easy and Dairy Free Butter Chicken Meatballs! Using accessible ingredients that are gluten free and dairy free friendly, this recipe is simple to make and sure to satisfy your takeout cravings. Enjoy these meatballs over rice and topped with cilantro for an impressive restaurant-quality meal!

Servings people

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Resting Time 10

Total Time 45

Equipment

large bowl
medium cookie scoop optional
Air Fryer or baking sheet
large pan
spatula
immersion blender or food processor, blender

Ingredients

For the Chicken Meatballs:

1 lb ground chicken
1 large egg whisked
½ cup packed almond flour
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground turmeric (can omit if you don't have any)
¼ tsp cayenne
kosher salt to taste

For the Dairy Free Butter Chicken Sauce:

1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 small yellow onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
cayenne to taste
kosher salt to taste
1 can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (15oz)
1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream
1 tbsp sugar

For Serving:

cooked white rice (mix it with cauliflower rice for some veggies!)
chopped cilantro
naan

Instructions

In a large bowl, add all of the chicken meatball ingredients and use your hands to mix until incorporated (but don't over-mix!) Transfer ground chicken mixture to the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
1 lb ground chicken, 1 large egg, ½ cup packed almond flour, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh minced ginger, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp cayenne, kosher salt
Scoop out 2 heaping tbsp of the ground chicken mixture and roll into balls. Place on a greased or parchment-lined air fryer tray/basket - SEE NOTE*. It should make about 15-16 meatballs.
Air fry at 400F for about 12 minutes, or until the internal temperatures reaches 165F.
While the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add oil. Then, add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add garam masala and cumin, stir, and let cook for 30 more seconds until fragrant.
1 tbsp olive or avocado oil, 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh minced ginger, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk and sugar. Season with salt and cayenne to taste. Stir until combined.
cayenne, kosher salt, 1 can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree, 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream, 1 tbsp sugar
Once the sauce begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
At this point, you can either keep the sauce as is OR if you prefer a more traditional smooth and creamy sauce, transfer it to the cup of an immersion blender or to a food processor or standard blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour the sauce back into the pan and bring it to medium-low heat. Add in the cooked chicken meatballs and toss them in the sauce. Allow that to simmer for a few more minutes until everything is warm.
I like to top mine with chopped cilantro and serve over a mix of white rice and cauliflower rice, as well as a side of naan. Enjoy!
cooked white rice, chopped cilantro, naan

Video

Notes

*NOTE: The air fryer is my preferred method for cooking these meatballs because it's quick and low-maintenance. If you don't have an air fryer, you can instead oven-bake them at 400F but they may take a few extra minutes to cook. And if you'd rather not dirty another dish, you can cook the chicken meatballs in your large pan prior to making the sauce. To do so, bring the pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 tbsp of oil. Then, add the meatballs and cook for about 10 minutes, turning them every few minutes. Remove them from the pan and continue with the recipe.

Calories: 464kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Keyword: Air Fryer, Butter Chicken, Chicken Meatballs, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Ground Chicken, Indian Recipes

Nutrition