Tasty Chicken Rice Balls

These chicken rice balls are packed with tender chicken and flavorful rice and vegetables. Enjoy these adorable little bites as a quick snack, a fun party appetizer, or a no-fuss meal.

Reasons to Love this Recipe

• Satisfying and nutritious
• Easy to prepare
• Customizable – you can use any leftover vegetables you have on hand, allowing you to be creative and reduce food waste
• Convenient on-the-go snack or meal – Great for bento box lunches!
• Kid-friendly
• Fun and interactive – I know many parents struggle with getting their kids to eat meat and veggies, but involving them in the cooking process can be a game-changer. It’s an engaging way to introduce them to different flavors and textures, encouraging a sense of curiosity and adventure at the dinner table.
• Want to make your rice balls larger or stuff them? Try these jumeokbap or Korean rice balls

Ingredients

• Warm rice – you will need to use short grain or medium grain rice. Long grain rice, like jasmine or basmati, won’t stick as well due to its lower starch content and is best reserved for fried rice.
• Ground chicken – you can also use leftover cooked chicken.
• Vegetables – you can use whatever you have on hand. Here I am using zucchini and red bell pepper.
• Seaweed – you can use crushed seaweed sheets, seaweed snacks, or furikake seasoning (seasoned seaweed flakes).
• Seasonings – I kept this recipe simple by using low-sodium soy sauce and sesame oil to make it baby-friendly. But feel free to use any of your favorite condiments, such as teriyaki sauce, hoisin, kewpie mayo, softened cream cheese, seasoned rice vinegar, sriracha, etc.

How to make Chicken Rice Balls

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is halfway cooked through.
2. Add the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine rice with the cooked vegetables, additional sesame oil, soy sauce, and crushed seaweed or seasoned seaweed flakes. You can also add some toasted sesame seeds.
4. Scoop about 2 tablespoon of the rice mixture and shape into a compact ball. To make the process go faster and easier, use food-safe gloves coated with a little bit of sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Tips for Success

• Be sure to wash your rice until the water runs clear. This will ensure the rice will have just the right amount of stickiness.
• If using leftover rice, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave until it’s sticky again
• For the seaweed sheets, you can crush with your hands, finely chop using a mini chopper, or cut into thin strips or pieces with kitchen shears. Or simply sprinkle some furikake seasoning.
• It is best to use a gloves as rice is quite sticky. If you don’t have any, you will need to work with slightly wet hands.

Serving Suggestions

These chicken rice balls are the ultimate solution for when you need a quick, on-the-go snack for toddlers (or yourself!), delightful side dish, or light and satisfying meal

They are also great for kids lunch boxes. The rice balls will dry out once refrigerated so I recommend preparing the chicken mixture ahead of time and, on the morning of, combine it with warm rice.

But if you don’t have time in the morning to do this, wrap the chicken balls individually in plastic wrap to keep them moist and prevent them from drying out. Reheat briefly in the microwave.

Storage

It is best to enjoy the rice balls shortly after preparing (ideally within 6 hours) as the rice will harden over time. However, you can store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Placing a damp paper towel in the container can help maintain moisture. You can also use leftovers to make this healthy fried rice.

To freeze, wrap each rice ball in plastic wrap and store in freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 1 month.

To reheat, microwave with a damp paper towel.

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