Spicy Sesame-Sriracha Chicken Meatballs With Cilantro Cauliflower Rice [Whole 30, Paleo]

Guys! Well it only took about 18 months for Switzerland to catch up on the cauliflower rice trend, but thank god it finally arrived in the frozen food aisle of our neighborhood grocery store and I have been on a full-out cauliflower rice extravaganza ever since. You have to imagine that in the good 'ol days of homemade cauliflower rice, my kitchen looked like it had snowed cauliflower bits and let's not even get started with the texture and smell issues. 

But I digress. Back to basics. These SRIRACHA CHICKEN MEATBALLS, omg they are heaven. No flour, no almond flour, not even a dang egg in sight and somehow, by the grace of the kitchen gods, they are super moist and delicious and won't even have you missing your panko. This is the perfect light weekday meal or dinner, and even better for meal prep. It's super budget-friendly and super healthy. Both Whole 30 and Paleo adaptable, as long as you eat meat, this recipe is basically ideal for any lifestyle. 

I'll warn you, there are quite a few ingredients, but it's what make the flavor SO good and dynamic, and most of the items you'll have lying around the house. Make it. NOW! Serves 4. 

Chicken Meatballs
1/2 cup roughly chopped carrots
1/4 red onion chopped
3 tbsps fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsps fresh basil
1 tbsp soy sauce (sub coconut aminos for Whole 30)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 tsp each sea salt and pepper
1 lb ground chicken

Sesame-Sriracha Sauce
1/3 cup Sriracha (sub homemade sriracha for Whole 30)
3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce (sub coconut aminos for Whole 30)
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp honey (sub for orange juice for Whole 30)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup water or chicken broth 
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Cilantro Cauliflower Rice
2-3 cups of fresh or frozen cauliflower rice
1 tsp  toasted sesame oil or olive oil
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime 
Salt and pepper, to taste

To Garnish
Shredded carrots 
Lime wedges
Chopped cilantro and green onions
Toasted sesame seeds
Sriracha drizzle, if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place all the ingredients (except ground chicken) into a blender or food processor and pulse until chopped. Add mixture in bowl with ground chicken and mix with hands until evenly distributed. Roll into 1 1/2 - 2" balls and place them on a lined or greased pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once after 20 minutes. 

While the meatballs are baking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes (the sauce will start to thicken) then toss with the meatballs.

Heat oil in skillet over low-medium heat. Add cauliflower rice, cover and steam for 5-6 minutes. Take off heat and toss with cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper.

Serve meatballs with sauce over cauliflower rice, garnished with all the delicious toppings a man or woman could dream of. Enjoy!