This insanely delicious spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice is a simple one pot dinner. Seared chicken meatballs and uncooked rice cook together in a creamy sauce of miso, sriracha, soy sauce, cream and stock. The rice soaks up the sauce as it steams under the lid. It takes about 45 minutes, serves four, and is finished with sriracha, chives and lime. SO good!
I first made this spicy miso sauce for my teriyaki meatballs, where it bubbled away in its own pan and got spooned over at the end. This time I've ditched the second pan and let the rice cook right in it. The flavor is really really good. Another trick that enhances the flavor of the recipe is frying off the meatballs to create a nice golden coating.
If you've made my Thai chicken meatballs, this is the same one pan method with a creamy spicy miso sauce in place of the coconut curry. For another dinner where the rice cooks in a creamy sauce, try my one pot marry me chicken and rice.
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients for spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice
- How to make spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice (with photos)
- Spicy miso chicken meatballs substitutions and variations
- Tips for the best spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice
- Storage, freezing and reheating
- What to serve with spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice
- Spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice FAQs
- Spicy Miso Meatballs and Rice
Why this recipe works
The meatballs only get a quick sear before they go back into the pan, still raw in the middle. They steam with the rice, which is about the gentlest heat you can give lean chicken, so they stay tender rather than bouncy.
The rice cooks in the sauce itself, so every grain is seasoned, and starch from the rice thickens the cream as it steams. You end up with creamy fluffy delicious rice.
And the flavors stack. Fish sauce and soy season the meatballs, miso gives the cream a savory backbone, and sriracha brings heat with a little garlic and tang. Then, the lime at the end lifts all of it. I can't explain how flavorful the rice is!!!
Ingredients for spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice
Here are the key ingredients and what to buy:
- Ground chicken: regular ground chicken is fine. It's lean, which is why the breadcrumbs and the gentle steaming matter here.
- Fish sauce: just 1 ½ teaspoons in the meatballs. It seasons the chicken from the inside and doesn't taste fishy once cooked.
- Light soy sauce: Skip dark soy sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: plain dried breadcrumbs or panko. They soak up moisture so the meatballs hold their shape and stay soft.
- Miso paste: white miso (shiro miso) is the mildest and the one to use here. Look for it in the refrigerated section near the tofu.
- Sriracha: the heat, plus a bit of garlic and tang. Add a little more if you like things spicy.
- Light cream: this is single cream in the UK. Half-and-half is the closest swap and easier to find in most US grocery stores.
- Rice: uncooked long-grain white rice, like jasmine or basmati.
For the full ingredient list with measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
How to make spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice (with photos)
Step 1. Mix the meatballs
Add the ground chicken, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro, breadcrumbs and a few grinds of black pepper to a large bowl. Mix with one hand shaped like a claw, and stop as soon as there are no loose breadcrumbs or streaks of plain chicken.
Step 2. Shape about 20 meatballs
Lightly wet your hands, then roll the mixture into about 20 small balls, roughly 1 ½ inches across. Damp hands stop the mixture sticking to you and give the meatballs a smoother surface. Set them aside on a plate.
Step 3. Sear, then set aside
Heat 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large, wide nonstick pan with a lid, big enough to hold the meatballs in one layer. Fry them over medium heat for 3 minutes, flip, then fry for 2 more. You want a couple of golden patches while the inside stays raw. Transfer them to a plate.
Step 4. Fry the spicy miso base
Add a little more oil to the same pan, then the garlic, followed by the miso paste, sriracha and soy sauce. Stir for about a minute, keeping everything moving so the miso doesn't catch, until it smells fragrant and turns into a glossy paste.
Step 5. Whisk in the cream and stock
Pour in the cream and chicken stock and whisk until the miso has dissolved and there are no lumps. It will look thin and pale orange at this point. That's what you want, because the rice is about to soak most of it up!
Step 6. Add the rice and meatballs, then cover
Sprinkle in the rice and spread it out so it sits evenly under the liquid. Nestle in the meatballs, seared side up. Bring to a boil, put the lid on, turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Don't stir, and don't lift the lid.
Step 7. Rest, then serve
Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for another 5 to 10 minutes while the rice finishes steaming. When you lift the lid, the liquid should be absorbed, the rice fluffy and the meatballs cooked through. Drizzle with sriracha, scatter over chives and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy, my friends!!
Spicy miso chicken meatballs substitutions and variations
- The chicken: ground turkey works the same way. Ground pork makes richer, juicier meatballs.
- The cream: heavy cream gives you a richer, heavier pan of rice. For dairy-free, full-fat coconut milk is the swap I'd try, though it will pull the flavor toward Thai.
- Gluten-free: use gluten-free breadcrumbs and swap tamari for the soy sauce in both the meatballs and the sauce. Check your miso and stock labels too, as some miso contains barley.
- No fish sauce: add an extra splash of soy sauce instead or an extra pinch of salt. You'll lose a little depth but it'll still taste good.
- Not a cilantro fan: use finely sliced scallions in the meatballs and chives on top.
Tips for the best spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice
- Go easy when you mix. Ground chicken is lean, and overworking it presses the meat together so the meatballs turn dense and springy. Stop the moment everything is combined.
- Keep the meatballs the same size. Once the lid is on you can't check on them, so they all need to cook at the same rate. A tablespoon or small cookie scoop keeps them even.
- Sear for color, not to cook them through. You're only after flavor and a few golden patches at this stage. We want the meatballs basically raw when they go in with the rice to cook.
- Hold off on extra salt. Soy sauce, fish sauce, miso and stock all bring salt, which is why there's none in the ingredient list. Taste a forkful at the end before adding any. Or just sprinkle over your own personal plate if you'd like once you've tasted it!
- Don't skip the lime. The sauce is rich, and a squeeze of lime cuts through the cream and wakes up the miso. Serve wedges on the side so everyone can add their own.
Storage, freezing and reheating
Let any leftovers cool, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The rice keeps drinking the sauce overnight, so add a splash of stock or water before reheating. Microwave it covered in short bursts, stirring in between, or warm it in a covered pan over low heat until piping hot.
I wouldn't freeze the finished dish, as creamy rice doesn't come back well from the freezer. Freeze the raw meatballs instead, on a tray until firm, then move them to a freezer bag, and thaw overnight in the fridge before searing. You can also roll them a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.
What to serve with spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice
It's a full meal in one pan, so it doesn't really need another carb in my opinion. What it does want is something crisp and fresh next to all that creamy rice: a smashed cucumber salad with rice vinegar, spicy cucumber salad, steamed bok choy with garlic, stir-fried broccolini, or a bowl of edamame. Green beans or broccoli tossed with a little soy sauce and sesame oil work well too.
If anyone at your table likes more heat, put out extra sriracha or a jar of my Vietnamese-inspired chili oil alongside.
Spicy miso chicken meatballs and rice FAQs
Miso is salty, savory and a little sweet, a bit like a deeper, rounder soy sauce. Miso is a fermented soybean paste, and in this recipe you won't pick it out as its own flavor. Stirred into the cream, it makes the sauce taste richer and more umami.
Not very. One tablespoon of sriracha spread through the cream, stock and rice gives a gentle warmth rather than real heat. The drizzle on top is where you control it, so go light for kids, or add more sriracha to the sauce in step 4 if you like things properly spicy. You can alternatively use sriracha mayo to garnish the dish instead!
Cut the biggest one open. There should be no pink in the center and the juices should run clear. An instant-read thermometer is the surest check, and chicken is done at 165F (75C). If one is borderline, cover the pan again and give it a few more minutes over low heat.
Usually because steam escaped before the rice could absorb the liquid, from lifting the lid, a loose-fitting lid or heat that was too high. Add a splash of hot stock or water, cover and give it 3 to 5 more minutes on low.
Stirring is the usual culprit. Once the rice is in, stirring knocks starch off the grains and turns everything gluey. Short-grain, sushi and instant rice also go soft and porridge-like in this much liquid, so stick with long-grain white and leave the pan alone once it's covered.
More meatball recipes
If you're a meatball lover like me, you've got to try my zucchini meatballs with Boursin pasta or my Thai chicken meatballs. I've also rounded up my 10 easiest meatball recipes here. I hope you find one you love!
For even more really popular options, why not make my:
- Greek meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar)
- Teriyaki meatballs with spicy miso sauce
- Pesto pasta with meatballs
- Air fryer turkey meatballs
- Air fryer chicken meatballs
If you tried this Spicy Miso Meatballs and Rice recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!
Spicy Miso Meatballs and Rice
Equipment
- 1 large nonstick pan with a tight-fitting lid
Ingredients
For the chicken meatballs
- 1.1 lb ground chicken 500g
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup chopped cilantro 10g
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs plain dried or panko (40g)
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon vegetable oil plus a little extra for the sauce
For the spicy miso sauce and rice
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon sriracha plus more if you like it spicy
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 ¼ cups light cream or half-and-half 300ml
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock 300ml
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati, 10.5 oz / 300g
To serve
- Sriracha for drizzling (you can alternatively use sriracha mayo!)
- Chives or cilantro finely sliced
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro, breadcrumbs and black pepper. Mix gently with one hand shaped like a claw until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Lightly wet your hands and roll the mixture into about 20 meatballs, roughly 1 ½ inches across. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat 1 ½ teaspoon vegetable oil over medium heat in a large nonstick pan that has a lid. Fry the meatballs for 3 minutes (don't move them around), flip, and fry for 2 minutes more, until they have a few golden patches but are still raw inside. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, add a little more oil, then the garlic, miso paste, sriracha and soy sauce. Fry, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the cream and chicken stock and whisk until smooth.
- Sprinkle in the rice and spread it evenly under the liquid. Nestle the meatballs in, seared side up. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Don't lift the lid or stir.
- Turn off the heat and leave covered for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with sriracha, topped with chives or cilantro, with lime wedges on the side. Also serve with ground black pepper and some flaky salt so that you can season your plate to your liking. Enjoy my friends!!
Notes
- Don't stir or lift the lid once the rice is in!!
- Light cream is sold as single cream in the UK. Half-and-half is the closest US swap.
- Use long-grain white rice. Brown, short-grain and instant rice won't cook right with this liquid and timing.
- Because we're using fish sauce, soy sauce and miso sauce, don't add any additional salt into the rice as those three ingredients are already very salty. Instead, serve up your meal with a little salt pot so individuals can season their own plate to their liking!
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of stock or water.
- Not suitable for freezing once cooked. Freeze the raw meatballs instead and thaw them overnight before searing.
Nutrition
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