Basil Chicken Meatballs with Ponzu Sauce

So we have a ton of basil right now, so I found this recipe for us to try.

We only used 1 lb of chicken but still got 8 meatballs.  D said they were easy to make.  The were dense.  The sauce was decent.  Next time, he said he would cut the orange juice to 1 TBSP and add ginger.  Of course he added hot chili sauce because that's what we have.

But we would have again.  We had over rice.  We each had 2 servings.

Basil Chicken Meatballs with Ponzu Sauce 

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 meatballs and 1 tablespoon sauce)
Total: 19 Minutes

Ingredients 
Meatballs:
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (used hot)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken(used 1 lb)
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
Sauce:
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons small basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice(next time use 1 TBS and add some ginger)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
Dash of crushed red pepper
Additional ingredients:
Small basil leaves (optional)
Chopped green onions (optional)

Preparation 
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. To prepare meatballs, combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; shape mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 8 meatballs to pan, and cook for 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan, and arrange on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with the remaining 8 meatballs.
4. Bake at 425° for 7 minutes or until done.
5. To prepare the sauce, combine soy sauce, basil leaves, green onions, juices, 1 1/2 teaspoons water, mirin, and red pepper in a small bowl. Serve sauce with meatballs. Garnish with basil leaves and additional chopped green onions, if desired.

Nutritional Information (for recipe as written)
Calories: 194; Fat: 10.2g; Saturated fat: 3.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.9g; Protein: 16.8g; Carbohydrate: 9.2g; Fiber: 0.7g; Cholesterol: 103mg; Iron: 1.2mg; Sodium: 544mg; Calcium: 40mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2011