Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs in Lettuce Wraps

Asian Meatballs Great For Dinner Or 

A Late Night Snack

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 3 Tablespoons asian fish sauce
• 3 small shallots, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, tender white inner bulb only, minced or 2 Tablespoons fresh lemongrass paste
• 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro or 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro paste, plus 1/3 cup for serving
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped mint, plus 1/3 cup leaves for serving
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 5 oz package NutCrusters Macadamia Coconut coating mix
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

(Alternative to NutCrusters)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup sweetened coconut, divided into two 1/4 cups

Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup  

Garnishes

• 1 head large leaf lettuce or 3 heads Belgian Endive
• 1 small cucumber - peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 small red onion, halved and sliced
• Reserved mint leaves
• Asian chili sauce
• 
  
• Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread the sugar on a plate.

Combine ground chicken, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chopped cilantro and mint, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix with your hands.  With your hands, work in NutCrusters ( or panko with 1/4 cup coconut) until mixture is moist but not too crumbly.  

With moist hands, roll meatballs into 1 1/2 inch balls.  Roll meatballs in the sugar (or 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1/4 cup coconut) until evenly coated.  Transfer meatballs to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes carefully turning half way through.  Meatballs should be lightly browned and cooked through.

Arrange lettuce, cilantro and mint leaves, cucumber, onion on a platter.  Transfer the meatballs to the platter and serve with chili sauce.

Serves 6