Coconut Harissa Chicken Meatballs
These Coconut Harissa Chicken Meatballs are tender, juicy and packed with flavour, all thanks to a simple meatball mixture enriched with coconut milk and rose harissa. They’re simmered in a rich, creamy coconut and harissa sauce that’s gently spiced with cumin and coriander, making it perfect for spooning over fluffy rice.
They’re simple enough for a weeknight dinner, but impressive enough to serve to friends, and like most dishes made with coconut milk, I think they taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 50g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp good-quality coconut milk (70% or more coconut extract)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp rose harissa paste (I use Belazu)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 500g chicken mince
- vegetable oil (or any neutral oil), for shallow frying
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp rose harissa paste (I use Belazu)
- 1 tbsp double-concentrated tomato purée
- 2 x 400ml tins good-quality coconut milk (minus the 2 tbsp used for the meatballs)
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 25g fresh coriander, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, coconut milk, egg, rose harissa paste, garlic and salt until a thick paste forms.
- Add the chicken mince and use your hands to gently mix until just combined. Try not to overwork the mixture, as this can make the meatballs dense. Roll into approximately 20 meatballs (around 1 heaped tablespoon each), then refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes to firm up.
- Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for around 1 minute per side, turning once, until nicely browned on the top and bottom. They don’t need to be cooked through at this stage. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the rose harissa paste and tomato purée to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant and slightly darkened in colour.
- Pour in the coconut milk, crumble in the stock cubes and add the ground coriander and cumin. Season with black pepper, stir until well combined, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
- Return the meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Bring back to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the chopped fresh coriander.
- Serve with fluffy rice and steamed greens, with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over, if you like.
Notes
Don’t overwork the meatball mixture. Mixing the chicken just until combined keeps the meatballs light and tender.
Use good-quality coconut milk. I recommend coconut milk with at least 70% coconut extract for the richest, creamiest sauce. Aroy-D is my go-to.
Harissa brands vary. Some are much hotter than others, so start with a little less if you’re using an unfamiliar brand. I use Belazu Rose Harissa, which has a wonderful balance of warmth and sweetness.
They reheat beautifully. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and are often even more flavourful the next day.
Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/coconut-harissa-chicken-meatballs/