Firecracker Chicken Meatballs with Cilantro Coconut Pineapple Rice
Incredible firecracker chicken meatballs made with flavorful spices and served with a creamy cilantro coconut pineapple rice. These healthy firecracker chicken meatballs are spicy, sweet, savory and make an incredible one pan meal. Easily made gluten free and perfect for meal prep!
SPICY LOVAHS THIS IS FOR U.
You know how every once in awhile you get on a spicy kick? Well, it’s all I’ve been wanting lately… Siete jalapeno hot sauce on my eggs in the morning. Spicy bitchin’ sauce on rice cakes. Jalapenos on pizza and spicy peanut butter sauce on my green beans. I can’t get enough.
These firecracker chicken meatballs were one of my ‘craving spicy food during the weeknight’ creations. They’re packed with jalapeno, cayenne and hot sauce for firecrackin’ heat. They also contain a little sweetness from coconut sugar and a fresh cilantro pineapple coconut rice so that the meal is well balanced. Everything seems to pair so beautifully together that I guaruntee you’ll be licking your plate clean. Let’s get to it!
Ingredients in firecracker chicken meatballs
These sweet & spicy chicken meatballs are packed with delicious spices and a few bright veggies. You’ll need:
- Lean ground chicken: I used 93% in this recipe so that they’re still juicy. Feel free to use lean ground turkey as well.
- Egg: to hold the meatballs together.
- Panko breadcrumbs: breadcrumbs make sure these healthy meatballs stick together. I also have an option to use coconut flour if you want to keep these paleo or grain free/gluten free.
- Meatball mix-ins: finely diced onion, cilantro and jalapeño for a kick of heat, flavor and moisture.
- Hot sauce: feel free to use your favorite kind! I love Sriracha or Cholula.
- Low sodium soy sauce: to add a savory, salty flavor to the meatballs. Feel free to use tamari or coconut aminos if you’re gluten free.
- Coconut sugar: the perfect addition of sweetness to balance the spice.
- Cozy spice blend: cumin, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt & pepper
- Olive oil: to cook your meatballs in.
- White rice: I recommend jasmine or basmati rice. Do not use brown rice as it will take too long to fully cook.
- Light coconut milk: you’ll simmer the meatballs and actually cook the rice right in the coconut milk for a wonderful, creamy flavor
- Pineapple: the bites of sweet, juicy pineapple are incredible with the spicy meatballs.
- Red bell pepper: packing in some veggies with bell pepper.
- Scallions: for a beautiful garnish.
How to make firecracker chicken meatballs without breadcrumbs
You can easily make these chicken meatballs gluten free & paleo! Simply use 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour in place of the breadcrumbs. I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons to see if your meatballs hold together well and if you can easily shape them into balls.
How to cook chicken meatballs in coconut milk
I love cooking these firecracker chicken meatballs in rich coconut milk because they stay super moist and soak up all of the flavors in the coconut milk.
- In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, hot sauce, soy sauce, coconut sugar, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Use clean hands to mix and form into 16 golf ball sized meatballs.
- Place a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add in olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes total. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how many meatballs you can fit in your skillet without overcrowding them. When they’re done browning, transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the coconut milk and pineapple; stir in the rice, then add the meatballs back in and bring to a nice simmer. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid and add in red bell pepper. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes to help tenderize the bell peppers.
- Finish the pan off by adding cilantro, serve and garnish with scallions!
Make these chicken meatballs ahead of time
These firecracker chicken meatballs can easily be prepped ahead of time!
- Simply mix and form the meatballs then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then tightly cover the meatballs with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
- You can prep these meatballs up to 1-2 days ahead of time.
How to store chicken meatballs
If you’re going to meal prep these firecracker chicken meatballs, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Yes, you can store them with the sauce + rice! To reheat simply place your meatballs and sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Freezer-friendly chicken meatballs (2 different ways!)
- Bake first, then freeze: simply place your meatballs and sauce in a freezer safe, airtight container or bag and freeze it all for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let your container of meatballs + sauce thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and then empty the contents into a pan on the stovetop. Heat them in your pan until they’re nice and warm, and then serve!
- Freeze before baking: you can also freeze these meatballs before cooking them! Form your meatballs as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This is called a flash freeze. Then, transfer your frozen meatballs to an airtight, freezer-friendly bag or container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw them, simply place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight and then cook them as directed in the recipe.
I hope you love these firecracker chicken meatballs! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also snap a photo and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. Enjoy, xo!
Firecracker Chicken Meatballs with Cilantro Coconut Pineapple Rice
Incredible firecracker chicken meatballs made with flavorful spices and served with a creamy cilantro coconut pineapple rice. These healthy firecracker chicken meatballs are spicy, sweet, savory and make an incredible one pan meal. Easily made gluten free and perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 1 pound 93% lean ground chicken (or lean ground turkey)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (or if GF sub 2 tablespoons coconut flour)
- ¼ cup very finely diced white onion
- ⅓ cup finely diced cilantro
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- ½ tablespoon hot sauce of choice (i love sriracha or cholula)
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce (or if GF sub tamari or coconut aminos)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- For the rice:
- ¾ cup jasmine or basmati white rice (don’t use brown rice, it will take too long to cook)
- 1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk
- 1 cup heaping cup frozen or fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- ¼ cup finely diced cilantro
- For garnish:
- Scallions (green part of green onion only)
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, hot sauce, soy sauce, coconut sugar, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Use clean hands to mix and form into 16 golf ball sized meatballs.
-
Place a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add in olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes total. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how many meatballs you can fit in your skillet without overcrowding them. When meatballs are done browning, transfer to a plate and set aside.
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Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the coconut milk and pineapple; stir in the rice, then add the meatballs back in and bring to a nice simmer. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
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After 20 minutes, remove the lid and add in red bell pepper. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes to help tenderize the bell peppers.
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To finish it off, add in cilantro over rice and meatballs. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Garnish with scallions.
Recipe Notes
To make this grain free or low carb: use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
How to freeze these chicken meatballs:
Bake first, then freeze: simply place your meatballs and sauce in a freezer safe, airtight container or bag and freeze it all for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let your container of meatballs + sauce thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and then empty the contents into a pan on the stovetop. Heat them in your pan until they’re nice and warm, and then serve!
Freeze before baking: you can also freeze these meatballs before cooking them! Form your meatballs as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This is called a flash freeze. Then, transfer your frozen meatballs to an airtight, freezer-friendly bag or container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw them, simply place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight and then cook them as directed in the recipe.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
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234 comments
In the gluten free suggestions, please note that soy sauce contains gluten. There are gluten free options that can easily be a good replacement.
Thanks for your note! Updated 🙂
Something about this wasn’t right. It was so hot and it felt oily like a coating on our lips and tongue. The pineapple helped us swallow it. Will not make this again. Sorry.
I’m not sure how you would get anything oily from this dish, that doesn’t seem right? Sorry to hear that you didn’t like it. They are called firecracker chicken meatballs for a reason though 🙂
I’m now worried because I couldn’t find “lite coconut milk.” Could I water down the regular coconut milk?
I haven’t tried it but I think that’s a good idea! Let me know if you end up doing that + how it turns out 🙂
Do you know if you used regular coconut milk instead of light coconut milk? I did that tonight (after previously cooking this with light coconut milk) and I can understand where you might get the oily feeling. This dish definitely requires the water content in the light coconut milk.
Delicious! I didn’t have a jalepeno or cilantro and was still great.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
My mom and I both cooked this recipe this evening for a total of 6 people. All were big fans. I wasn’t sure about the combo of flavors until I took my first bite – yum! I used brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. Will be a repeat!
So happy everyone loved it!
Just wondering if I could substitute coconut milk with almond milk?
If using cauliflower rice is it a 1:1 replacement for regular rice? So, only a 3/4 cup? Also, do I need to change the rice cooking method at all?
You can feel free to experiment, it’s merely a suggestion 🙂 cauliflower rice is just a veggie, so you’ll likely need more — maybe 2 cups.
This was delicous! I was afraid it would be too spicy but we didn’t taste any spice whatsoever. Maybe the jalepeno I had wasn’t hot?? Either way it was super yummy and I will definitely be making again. Thank you for this great recipe!!
It could’ve been the jalapeño or the hot sauce you used 🙂 glad you enjoyed!!
This is such a great recipe! I used gluten free bread crumbs I had on hand instead of the recommended gf option and the meatballs turned out perfect. The recipe is simple to follow and the flavors of everything go really well together. It’s a really satisfying meal without feeling heavy. I will be making this one quite a bit!
Perfect! So happy to hear that 🙂
This was delicious!! I’m so glad I discovered your blog because everything I’ve made so far has been really good. I had a huge jalapeno so I cut down the cayenne a good bit, but I definitely should have left the full amount in as it wasn’t too spicy. The coconut rice was perfect. Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you found AK! Glad you loved this one 🙂
This dish was delish! Whole family loved it. I cut back the spice for kids purposes. I would almost run the onions a little through the food processor to get finer chop.
Perfect! And great idea if you’d like finer onions. Glad the whole family enjoyed!
Our family of four loved this, kids too! There was not one bite leftover! I loved the spice but didn’t find it too overwhelming, though I may have trimmed back the cayenne pepper and omitted the jalapenos. The ground chicken was impossible to “meatball” so I just scooped spoonfuls into the hot pan. Actually preferred this because the chicken was very sticky. Do not overcook the chicken when browning, though! I just browned mine barely since they cook with the rice too. I was afraid it would be dry but nope! Very moist and delicious! I will absolutely make again!
Amazing! Next time you could try adding a bit more breadcrumbs to help with the stickiness. Glad the whole family loved this one!
Hi Monique! Can I use short grain white rice (like sushi rice) for this?
Hi! I haven’t tried it but it could work as long as the rice ratio is 1 cup to 1 3/4 cup liquid.
So tasty, I left out cayenne pepper, I can’t eat it, my rice was still a little under cooked maybe I will partly boil before adding, will definitely be cooking again
I’m glad you enjoyed! Feel free to add a splash more liquid next time, too.
As with all of your recipes I have made, this turned out wonderfully!
Incredibly flavourful, comes together easy and a crowd pleaser!
My family loves spice and I think when I make this next time, I will add another jalapeno when I add the red pepper.
For me, the 2 Tbsp of coconut flour was perfect!
Thank you so much!
Perfect! So happy everyone loved them!
I just made this tonight and it was one of the best things I’ve ever made, according to my husband. I followed the recipe exactly and it was the perfect combo of hot and sweet, and just creamy enough. I did use 10-minute brown rice because it’s all I had and it worked great. Thank you, it’s a definite keeper!
Love it! So happy to hear that 🙂
Damn, this was so good! My husband also loved it! I didn’t realize we were out of white rice until I was getting ready to add it to the pan, so I had to use brown. I used 1/2 cup of brown rice instead of 3/4 cup of white and it turned out awesome! I left it cooking a bit longer than the recipe said, mainly because of forgetting it while having wine before dinner haha. Anyways, BOMB meal and will definitely be making again and again!
I’m glad that still worked out well! Perfect dinner 🙂
Absolutely wonderful!! I wasn’t sure if my family was going to like this recipe but it seemed rather easy and interesting so I tried it. They loved it!!! Both my husband and son were raving about how good it was. It will definitely be on rotation here at my house. The sweetness of the coconut milk and pineapple combined with the spicy ingredients were a perfect match. ( I did make one little change; I substituted light brown sugar for the coconut sugar and it worked fine).
YUM! This recipe was delicious and easy to make. I followed the directions, but forgot to add the cilantro to my meatballs (shoot!) either way, they turned out so yummy and we will definitely be making this recipe again. Made it all in one pan (cast iron skillet) which made clean up easy too.
Whoops! I’m glad you enjoyed regardless! Such a great dinner 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! The combination of flavours worked so well together and an easy one pan dish. I have leftovers…..yay!!! I will definitely be making this again. 😊
Absolutely! Best leftovers 🙂
Amazing! I was running low on panko, so I used the coconut flour sub. It turned out wonderfully. The meatballs are so flavorful and the pineapple rice is sweet and coconutty and delicious! My husband has requested this weekly going forward – it’s that good! I might try adding a bit of fresh ginger next time just to see how it goes. Oh, we didn’t add as much cayenne as we have a three year old (who refused to eat anything for dinner). Still great and easily modified for all spice palates.
Perfect! Such a great weeknight dinner. Fresh ginger would be delicious, too!
I followed this recipe as is and it turned out great. I had to be gentle with the meatballs so they stayed together as they cooked. A delicious blend of flavors.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight and it’s so good! I didn’t have cilantro on hand, so I left it out and it was still amazing. Can’t wait to make it again!
So glad you loved it!
The meatballs are great. I always double meatball recipes, but it didn’t work out that great in this recipe. For anyone doing the same, I’d suggest keeping the rice and meatballs separate until the rice cooks through. My rice tastes like stale, half-toasted rice because it was too much competition with the meatballs also in the pot and I cooked it in a huge dutch oven — cooking well over the provided time. It would be perfect to do in two pots and combine once the rice cooked.
Glad you enjoyed! And thanks for your note & tips on doubling – super helpful for readers.
I made this today, and the whole family loved it…..I’m not sure why some commentators mention an “oily” taste or anything negative for that matter-it doesn’t make any sense(haters will hate) Either way, this meal was great! Will make again in the future!
Amazing!!! Didn’t change a thing and it was so good! The meatballs are just the right amount of spicy and the sweetness of the pineapple coconut milk rice compliments the heat from the meatballs. My husband typically dislikes chicken and even he was a fan of these. Will be making again soon!
Love it! So happy this was a hit!
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and my husband and I both loved it. It is going into our family collection of favorite recipes. A few modification that I made were that I used a small jalapeño from our garden and I used a much smaller amount of cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp) since I know that a full 1/2 teaspoon would be too much for us. I also used full fat coconut milk because I didn’t have light coconut milk on hand and it was very tasty. I also used the 4C Gluten Free breadcrumbs. I think my meatball mixture was very gooey and therefore the meatballs came out very tender.
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing, too 🙂 so glad you two enjoyed!
I have made this 2 X already and my bf and i LOVE it! the second time, I used Trader Joe’s coconut milk and it seemed to have improved the taste even more! This will be in regular rotation for dinner.
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
I appreciate what Monique was trying to do here, but this dish was just OK. The flavors weren’t bold enough for my taste. But great for meal prep and with a pile of green onions on top!
Sorry to her that, Chris! Next time feel free to up any of the spices.
Loved this! I think the green onion and cilantro really make it pop so that is a must have imo! Super simple to make. Adding this to the rotation! We’re also big fans of the ginger/peanut meatball recipe. So yummy.
Agreed! So happy you love them both 🙂
This is seriously delicious! I left out the cayenne, jalapeño and halved the Sriracha as I was also feeding my 3 year old. My husband and I both loved this meal. So flavourful and satisfying. We just added a little extra Sriracha on top afterwards. 5 stars!!
Perfect! So glad everyone loved it!
This absolutely popped off. I didn’t have coconut sugar so I substituted about a 1/4 tablespoon of raw honey (I didn’t even think of brown sugar until after the fact). This recipe was easy and a hit with the whole house, even the vegetable haters loved the peppers. I might add a little something extra to the rice, it felt a touch bland, and possibly throw in more veggies next time around to bulk it out a bit. I will be making this again, many times!
So happy everyone loved it! And yes feel free to add even more mix-ins if you like 🙂
Nothing says who won the election like eating these firecracker meatballs amiright?!! In all seriousness, I’ve made these 5 times and am obsessed! There is so much flavor in each bite and I love the coconut rice. Super easy family weeknight meal. Thank you Monique ❤️
100%! Glad you loved these, Gabbie!
This is my favorite meatball recipe ever! They have so much flavor. And the whole dish is the perfect savory, sweet, and spicy. The only thing is the rice never cooks in the amount of time in the instructions.
what kind of rice are you using? I suggest a jasmine rice for best results! If it doesn’t cook, try adding 1/3 cup more water, and then also cooking for 5-10 min longer on low heat.
SO SO SO GOOD! Made tonight for the first time for my bf and I. Perfect amount of heat and the rice is sooo creamy. I liked using turkey instead of chicken as I find it always makes my meatballs or burgers juicier!
Perfect! So glad you both loved it!
Any tips for an alternative liquid if there is a coconut and dairy allergy? Would chicken broth or stock work?
Sure you can use chicken broth/stock in place of coconut milk.
Cooked this last night for my parents’ first time visiting my new home and it was absolutely delicious! ☺️ Might even add more hot sauce next time because we love spicy!
Love it! Such a great dinner 🙂
Love this recipe! Will definitely be making it again so delicious and easy!
So glad you loved it!
Delicious, the whole family loved it. Not too spicy either, just perfect. I think the pineapple balances it nicely. Next time I will use fresh pineapple, I think it would just give a bit more flavour. Thank you! Will make again.
So happy to hear that! Such a great dinner 🙂
This is one of my favorites! It is SO good!! I used almond flour because thats what I had on hand and it still worked. I had to put in a little more than the coconut flour but it turned out great! Thank you for this amazing meal!
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect dinner 🙂
Made this for Super Bowl Sunday dinner and it was a big hit! Added some unsweetened coconut shreds for an extra coconut flavor in the meatballs (I think it worked!). When combining the meatball ingredients I felt it was too wet to form so I added a bit more panko breadcrumbs (probably an extra 1/4 cup) and they came out PERFECT! Browned nicely, held together and were so moist and flavorful!! Another change was I only had full fledged soy sauce on hand, so I cut back on the dry salt amount. I also used fresh pineapple because it was on sale and I got carried away and added more than was advised…whoops! It didn’t seem to affect the cooking time and the rice was oh-so-creamy and the sweetness it added really balanced the meatballs. This recipe wasn’t quite spicy enough for us, so ample hot sauce was used, but the flavors were incredible!! Highly recommend trying this recipe, it’s so easy and comes out just great.
Perfect! Everything sounds delicious 🙂 Glad they were a hit!
Wow! This is the kind of recipe that you want to send to all of your friends as you’re eating it. SO much flavor, and I love the spicy with the sweet. This meal is healthy, easy to make, and delicious. The leftovers are just as good!
This recipe was amazing! Reminded me of eating mango sticky rice from a food stall in Bangkok, in the best way possible. The spicy meatballs went so well with the sweetness from the coconut milk and pineapple. Already recommended this recipe to friends who have made it as well and loved it!
The flavors in this recipe are SO GOOD! And who doesn’t love a one pan meal?! YUM! Just don’t make the mistake I did the first time making this. I just wrote “rice” on the grocery list so naturally bought brown. The note that says “don’t use brown rice, it will take too long to cook” is VERY important!! But the second time around with white rice worked perfectly!! I hate cutting pineapple so I used frozen and you wouldn’t have ever known it wasn’t fresh! Highly recommend this dish!
Love these. An easy meal with good balance between spice and sweet.
This recipe was really good and fairly easy to make! I swapped cauliflower rice for regular rice but otherwise kept everything the same. I wish I had cooked the Cauli rice a bit longer, it was a bit crunchier than we would have liked. But the flavors were fantastic and it made enough for 4 meals which is ALWAYS a plus!
YUM!! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe since first trying it… I’m obsessed! Ambitious Kitchen is my go to site for dinner inspo. Thank you, and I can’t wait to try future recipes!
This recipe is so good! I love the sweet and spicy combo.. I added a little extra sriracha (if you want a little more kick) but other than that followed the recipe. Its on the favorite list in our house!
So glad you love it!
I wanted to love these because one pan meals can make dinner easier, but they fell flat for my family. We were hoping for more flavor.
Sorry to hear that! This one should be super flavorful with the coconut milk, pineapple and spices in the meatballs. Maybe try upping the spices and/or salt?
Wow! This recipe was amazing. My favorite part was the coconut rice with chunks of pineapple.
This is an AMAZING recipe. Everything about it is perfect and I cannot stop eating it. Pineapple coconut rice is just 10/10 and the flavour of the meatballs is 10/10! Make this recipe! Don’t change anything!
Whenever I don’t know what to eat and then I make something…. I kick myself for not making this recipe again. Literally need to set a weekly reminder to make this because it is SO GOOD and SO EASY.
So tasty! This has made into my favorite recipe rotation. Have tried this with turkey and chicken – they’re both good but prefer the recipe exactly as written!
If you haven’t made this dish yet… you need to run to the kitchen and get cooking! This dish is not only simple to make but is exploding with flavors! I love the combination of coconut and mango for some added sweetness. I have also substituted the ground chicken for ground pork and it is still incredibly delicious.
One of our faves! The perfect amount of spicy
I was so excited for these because I loved the ginger peanut meatballs. The meatballs were so moist (exceeded my ground chicken expectations by so much!) and I really enjoyed the pineapple. I wished overall it was a little less sweet and had a little bit more flavor profile beyond just sweet (the coconut milk + fruit) and a little heat; I don’t know that I’ll make again.
Great feedback! Thanks for your note 🙂
Omg – so flavor packed!! A great addition to my recipe box!!
Glad you loved it!
These were amazing, They didn’t come out too spicy even though I was expecting it, but still so so delicious!
So glad you enjoyed!
I LOVE these meatballs! I’m cooking for one, and they are so easy to prep for meals throughout the week. Highly recommend this recipe!!
So happy to hear that! One of our favs, too 🙂
This was absolutely amazing, for so many reasons. The meatballs were packed with flavor and moist. The rice, THE RICE. Paired with the sweet pineapple and cilantro, just so amazing. I will definitely be making this again. And likely more coconut rice weekly!
So good! Glad you loved it!
Holy firecracker, this was a delicious recipe. I used Banza chickpea rice instead of the white rice. Will definitely be saving this recipe and making it again.
Perfect! Glad you loved it!
That was really delicious! Perfect for a night when I can prep ahead and not dirty too many dishes. I also LOVE that you include freezer recommendations in so many of your posts,
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
This looks delicious but I’m usually not a fan of combining sweet & savory flavors. Do you think I could omit the pineapple and coconut sugar from the recipe? Also, can I replace the white rice with quinoa?
So I made this today without any coconut sugar, pineapples, and replaced rice with quinoa. It was delicious and flavorful without being overpowering. I did sub coconut flour for the panko breadcrumbs and struggled to roll the meatballs as it was a very sticky/gummy texture and I used at least 4-5 tbsp. of coconut flour. But end result, they still tasted great, Thank you for sharing this recipe Monique!
I’m glad they still worked out well! Such a great dinner 🙂
Rating this 5 stars because its such an amazing recipe. Its really simple, not a lot of steps, and can be whipped up very quickly! Then the taste….oh wow. So good. The flavors really go well together. I am obsessed and am absolutely adding to my dinner routine. I even had it for lunch the next couple of days and it re-heated perfectly.
So glad you loved this one!
Sooo good!! Modified with ground chicken thighs. My husband and I both loved this. So many flavors that added levels.
Perfect! So glad you both enjoyed 🙂
This looks amazing but we just aren’t coconut fans. Any suggestions for substituions? Thank you!
You could bake the meatballs instead of cooking them on the stovetop!
Loved these so much and am making them as appetizers! How long would you recommend baking them for?
So happy to hear that! I would bake them for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F 🙂
One of my favorite recipes to use for meal prep. Sometimes I’ll sub cauliflower rice if I want to lighten it up.
Love that idea!!
Meatballs were awesomely flavored. I backed off on the sriracha and jalepeno because I thought it would be too hot, and they weren’t hot at all, so next time I will follow directions! We used this recipe for meal prep and needed just a little more food. Might try adding another vegetable or serving with something on the side. I assume it doesn’t call for a full cup of rice for the coconut milk ratio, but I wonder if you add a little chicken broth if upping the rice would be alright?
Love it! And yes adding some more rice with more liquid should work – let me know if you try it!
AMAZING. So flavorful, bright, and juicy. Used GF panko. My canned light coconut milk only had 13 oz so I added a couple splashes of water to make up for it. Also added another splash when it was time to add the red peppers. Will be making this again no doubt! SO. GOOD. Thank you!
Perfect! So glad you loved this one!
This was delicious! Perfect weeknight meal. I didn’t have jalapeños, so I added a bit more spice with red pepper flakes. I also added in broccoli with the red peppers and added about a cup more water + 5-10 more minutes of steaming time for the veggies and it was perfect! I will definitely make again. Thank you!!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Made pretty much to a T and enjoyed every bite! Absolutely delicious! I think the addition of ginger in the meatballs next time is going to bring it to the next level! Thank you for the recipe! It will be a regular from now on!
So happy to hear that! And yes, ginger sounds great 🙂
I follow this recipe to a T and after 25 minutes my rice was still not done. Not sure what I did wrong, but I had to keep cooking for longer until the rice was done, which over cooked the meatballs (I couldn’t remove the meatballs and continue cooking the rice because there were little uncooked grains of rice stuck to the meatballs).
So strange! Was all of the rice nicely folded into the sauce? It should cook up in the liquid in that amount of time, so I’m not sure what else could’ve gone wrong!
Delicious!
One of our favs!
Very very good! Will definitely make again!!!
So glad you enjoyed!
Made this tonight and it was out of this world!
So glad you loved it!!
A delightful mix of sweet, spicy, and savory! I will be adding this dish to my regular rotation!
One of our favs, too 🙂
Absolutely loved this! Ours turned out quite spicy but we rebelled and kept the seeds in the jalap 🙂 my rice needed maybe 5 more min than the initial 20 and I’d probably dice the peppers instead for ease of shoveling in my face. Highly recommend! Love the 1 pan meals!!
So glad it was a hit! Great idea to dice the peppers and if it was a little too hot feel free to de-seed those jalapeños 🙂 Perfect dinner!
Super yummy but not as spicy as I thought it might be! I subbed pineapple for chopped small frozen pieces of mango. Easy and fast!
Feel free to up the spice next time or add hot sauce if you’d like! Mango sounds delicious, too 🙂
Insanely good!! Already excited to make this again soon!
So glad you loved it!
Delicious recipe!!! Quick, tasty (the coconut rice is wow) – only tweak would be adding a little bit of salt to the rice before putting the meatballs in to simmer. This one is going into the regular rotation!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Totally agree with the salt comment! Other than that; this recipe is perfect.
I loved this recipe! I used ground turkey instead of chicken and they were delicious. Super filling! I like a bit of heat, so the spice level was perfect for me. I browned my meatballs in a cast iron skillet, but then cooked the rest of the meal in a non-stick pan, which I would definitely recommend. Thank you for such a yummy meal!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
The melody of flavors in this dish are simply amazing!! One thing that gave me trouble, however, is that the dish came out on the dry side. I used a large cast iron pan and had to substitute the cover – this pan doesn’t have one. I think that may be the culprit here….
All things considered, I’d make this dish again! VERY good!!
So glad you loved the flavors! Hmmm were the meatballs dry? Would love to help troubleshoot as they should be perfectly moist.
My absolute favorite recipe! Ive made this numerous times and it only gets better.I love the different flavors of the dish, its different from what I typically make and it is so delicious!
So happy to hear that!!
I have been looking for fairly quick, not too complicated, and healthy meals as a recent postpartum mom and this was perfect!! My older kids loved it too! (They can be picky with healthier options) We ate it all and didn’t have any leftovers so might make a double batch next time. Thanks for another great recipe!
So happy to hear that! This is one of our favs for busy weeks, too 🙂
Love this recipe! Just made it for the second time. I did it in the rice cooker after browning the meatballs and it was much easier (I’m horrible at rice without a rice cooker).
Perfect! I’m glad that worked out well 🙂
Hi Amy, can you please share how you did this in the rice cooker? I’m intrigued. Thanks!
This is my #1 favorite recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. This is the type of recipe that you make for company; and they ASK you for the recipe after! IT’S THAT GOOD. The meatballs themselves have a lot of ingredients so the prep takes a little while; but then the fact that you only need to use one pot for everything totally makes up for it. It’s so delicious and I make this for me and my boyfriend usually about once a week!
Amazing!! So happy to hear that 🙂 One of our favs, too.
How critical is “coconut sugar” and can white/brown sugar be used instead? Thanks…these look great!
Brown sugar is the perfect swap!
Delicious! Perfect blend of spicy and sweet. I wasn’t even going to give some to my neighbor because I like it so much. But, I did and she loved it!! Yum, yum!
So glad it was a hit! One of our fav dinners, too 🙂
It was good – nice and hot.. Next time I make it I will add more breadcrumbs to the meatballs as they were rather wet which made it hard to handle and then a little ‘wet’ for my liking. I also made with cauliflower rice which did not absorb a good 1/4 of the coconut milk so I can lessen that next time.
Hi, Catherine! Great idea to add some extra breadcrumbs. And yep, cauliflower rice definitely isn’t quite as absorbent. Hope you can make it again soon!
We had this for dinner last night and it was DELICIOUS!! Next time I’ll double it because even the kids gobbled it up. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome!! Glad that you guys all loved it 🙂
Can I substitute brown or white sugar for the coconut sugar?
Yes, I think brown sugar would work really well in here!
Wow! This was fantastic. So easy to make and flawless blend of spicy and sweet. My stove runs hot and I thought some of my meatballs burned, however, it added a little crunch which was nice. This is my first attempt at a dish from this website. Can’t wait to try more. Definitely a keeper recipe. Thx
I’m so happy you found Ambitious Kitchen and that you loved this recipe! Hope you can try some more soon 🙂
Has anyone tried using another meat other than Chicken/Turkey? Thinking of trying this out with ground pork
I think that would be amazing! Let me know if you try it 🙂
Have you ever adapted the recipe by using Cauliflower rice rather than reg rice? If so, can you tell me how?
Hi, Sherri! Great question. I haven’t personally done it but think it would work well to add the cauliflower rice in place of regular rice in Step 3, but instead of cooking it with a can of coconut milk for 20 minutes, you can stir in about half a cup of coconut milk and the red bell peppers, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. Hope this is helpful and that it works out! 🙂
This was wonderful! I was immediately felt like I was on vacation in the Caribbean with the wonderful scents of coconut and pineapple. I accidentally omitted the sugar and we didn’t even miss it. I imagine it was because I cheated with canned pineapple since the fresh ones weren’t ripe at the store. Thank you for sharing.
I’m SO happy you loved it, Tracy! Glad to hear you didn’t miss the sugar 🙂
Recipe is delish! I had to add another can of coconut milk as the rice was not fully cooked and it got too dry. I didn’t have a jalapeño so I subbed a poblano and also added lime juice at the end.
So happy you enjoyed it! I haven’t had that issue with the rice, but good idea to add the extra coconut milk 🙂
So delicious! I left out the hot sauce and cayenne, formed a few meatballs for the kids, then added it in for the rest. The sweet and spicy combination was great!
I’m so happy you loved them, Lauren. Great call to leave out the spice for the kiddos.
I love the firecracker meatballs and coconut pineapple rice recipe!! Very easy, and so fragrant! Several ingredients I plucked from my garden. Thank you so much for re-inspiring cooking in my kitchen in relieving my cooking burn out.
Aw, I’m so happy to hear that my recipes are inspiring you, Amy!! 🥰 And so fun to add garden-fresh ingredients.
I have to say I am reviewi ng prematurely, having only made the meatballs. As is the recipe is excellent! I am not a spice fan, but these were not that spicy at all. As a matter of fact, I am going to increase the heat just a bit! For my personal taste, I will leave out the coconut sugar and cut in half because I found it just a bit too sweet. I also might add diced green or red bell pepper to the meatball. However, even if you don’t alter the recipe for personal tastes, they were amazing!
So glad that they aren’t too spicy and that you’re loving it, Lori! Totally fine to leave out the sugar. And great idea on the pepper! Yum 🙂
This is amazingly good. Even our toddler gobbled it up! Thank you.
Oh yay, so happy you all loved it!!
This recipe was outstanding!! Beautiful AND delicious. I meal prep for families and they pick your meals often! This was a huge hit!
Yay!! I’m so happy you’re loving this one, April. That’s so kind of you to make home-cooked meals for people ❤️😊
Sooooo good! love the sweet and salty of this recipe!
Right?! Me too 🙂 Happy you enjoyed it!
Amazing recipe, however, and I repeat DO NOT SUB for full fat coconut milk it will be waaay too oily. I also added more pineapple because delish.
So happy you loved it, Kim! And yep, I definitely recommend light coconut milk here 🙂
A new favorite recipe! I’ve had this recipe opened on a tab in my phone for months. I finally decided to make it last night for dinner and it was amazing! Healthy, full of flavor and easy. We are definitely putting this on the rotation
I’m SO happy you finally had the chance to try it and that you loved it! Yay! 🙂
Perfection! The combination of flavours was out of this world!! I used regular coconut milk and it worked just fine. I will definitely be making this again and again! Thanks for sharing another amazing hit!
Woohoo!! So happy you loved this, Kathleen 🙂
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! The rice is so flavorful and the meatballs are perfectly juicy. 10/10
Yay!! So happy you loved this one 🙂
Easy and delicious! I used ground turkey instead of ground chicken because that’s what I had at home! It worked great!
Totally fine to use ground turkey–they’re so similar! Happy you enjoyed it 🙂
One of my FAVORITE dinners of all time! The meatballs turn out so moist and the pineapple mellows out the heat a bit! So good!
My family and I absolutely love this recipe! I have a two year old son so I cut the amount of jalapeño and cayenne in half, which turned out great. The spicy meatballs paired with the sweet rice is a fantastic combination!
So amazing! I made this for my boyfriend and he was going back for seconds. Perfect amount of kick in the meatballs, even with just half a jalapeño. The rice cooked perfectly too and pineapple fit in so well. Will be on repeat!
Delicious!!! So flavorful and moist. Super easy recipe to make that pleases a crowd!
Loved this recipe!! So flavorful but simple on hand ingredients which I loved. I doubled the recipe to prep for the week so I baked the meatballs in the oven vs browning on the stove top. Meatballs baked while the rice cooked in a pot. Turned out perfect!
Coconut rice and pineapple – how have i never tried this before!! What a delicious combo! This meal is so so so so so good!! It’s a crowd pleaser!
This has become a staple in our house, everything is do perfectly balanced, the sweet, the savoury and the spice. It heats up great for lunches throughout the week as well. Make this you wont regret it!
This was delicious! I meal prepped this to take for lunch for the week. Nice and filling with wonderful flavor. The coconut rice with pineapple is scrumptious and the meatballs were nice and moist.
I have made this recipe several times and it’s one of my favorites on AK! That pineapple coconut rice is just SO GOOD. I usually use jasmine rice. Topping with scallions is a must!
5 stars for sure!!!
Typically don’t love dishes that have pineapple but this was so interesting and deliciously flavorful. Took a little longer to make than usual AK dinners but worth it
Isn’t it a fun flavor combo? Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
OMG make this right now. I use ground turkey because I prefer the taste of it over ground chicken. This recipe is BOMB. Great for meal prep. The meatballs stay moist and delicious and the rice is sooo good. If you follow the recipe, it’s not overly spicy so you can always add more if you like it spicier. A regular in my weekday rotation!
YAY I’m so happy you’re loving this one!!
Really enjoyed this recipe. I didn’t think it was overly spicy, but then again I love spicy foods so it might be spicier to others. Had to add some extra liquid to the pan in order to cook the rice through, but flavors were still tasty!
I’m so glad you loved it! And good to know about the liquid–thanks!
I love this recipe so much I have been making it every single week! Perfect blend of spicy, savory, and sweet in my opinion.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that, Meg! Totally agree, I love the balance of flavors in here.
This is an absolute crowd pleaser. I’ve made multiple times for friends and people always love it. I’ve adapted the recipe to what I have on hand and using different proteins, it doesn’t matter what changes you make- this never fails!
I’m SO happy to hear this, Caitlin!! Glad that everyone’s loved it, and that you’ve had luck with lots of different proteins. Thanks so much for the review!
I loved everything about this dish. These are the tastiest meatballs I’ve ever had and the rice compliments it perfectly. This is my new favorite.
this recipe was like it was written by a 5 year old – all over the place and incomplete. how do i cook the rice in coconut milk where is that instruction?
Sorry that the instructions were unclear–we work hard to make them as easy to understand as possible! After browning the meatballs in the pan, you remove them for a minute so that you can add in the coconut milk, pineapple, and rice, and stir them all together. Then the meatballs are added back to the pan, and then you cover the pan so that the rice fully cooks. Does this make sense?
WOW! Hands down one of the tastiest dinners!!!!! The perfect combo of heat and sweet! Followed the recipe exactly, the only addition I made was a little more liquid for cooking the rice – maybe 1/2 cup more coconut milk. Looking forward to the left overs later today. YUM 😋
Woohoooo! So happy you loved it, Rachel! Good to know about the additional coconut milk.
These were so delicious and spicy! I didn’t add sugar to mine, It turned out great. I also rinsed and soaked my jasmine rice before making. Definitely would make this again.
Yay!! So happy you loved these, Nicole!
LOVE how tender the meatballs turned out by cooking them with the rice in the coconut milk. I added extra veggies to the dish (broccoli and shredded carrots) along with the bell pepper- Turned out great! Next time I will up the heat by adding more hot sauce to the meatballs!
Yay! I’m so happy it all turned out so well 🙂 Great call on the extra veggies and hot sauce!