The Best Honey Bourbon Meatballs

Sharing is caring!

Elevate your weeknight dinners, small gatherings, and game day celebrations with these irresistible Honey Bourbon Meatballs.

The chicken meatballs are coated in a sticky-sweet honey bourbon glaze, making them the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer or main dish for any occasion.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you decide to purchase through my link, I may earn a very small commission at no additional cost to you.

Why you’ll love this saucy meatball recipe

Flavorful – The best part is the perfect balance of flavors, with the sweetness of the honey blending with the smoky richness of bourbon. This combination creates a flavor profile that’s both comforting and satisfying.

Versatile – These meatballs are incredibly versatile, making them suitable for various occasions. Whether serving them as a crowd-pleasing appetizer at a party, enjoying them as a hearty main course, or even using them to jazz up a sandwich, honey bourbon meatballs fit the bill.

Tender and Juicy – The meatballs themselves are tender, juicy, and well-seasoned, ensuring each bite is a flavorful and satisfying experience.

Perfect for Sharing – Honey bourbon meatballs are great for sharing and bringing people together. They’re easy to serve, making them an ideal addition to social gatherings, family dinners, or even a casual night in front of the TV.

Meatball ingredients to make saucy meatballs

• Ground Chicken – Cooking times may vary if you substitute ground turkey or ground beef, but both will be tasty.
• Egg
• Bread Crumbs – Seasoned or plain will work.
• Onion – Finely diced is best, or substitute onion powder for the raw onion.
• BBQ Spice – Use my homemade spice blend or purchase from your local grocery store.
• Garlic – You could substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Salt and Black Pepper

Honey bourbon sauce Ingredients

• Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness and caramelized flavor to BBQ sauce.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Imparts a tangy and slightly fruity flavor that complements the sauce’s richness and balances out the sweetness from other ingredients like sugar or ketchup. White vinegar can be substituted.
• Ketchup – The base of the sauce.
• Honey – Maple syrup is a good substitute if you don’t have honey.
• Bourbon – Use your favorite drinking bourbons like Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Wild Turkey, or Maker’s Mark.
• Corn Starch – Helps to thicken the sauce.
• Garlic
• Dijon Mustard – Brings a combination of sharpness and tanginess with a hint of spiciness, adding depth and complexity to the sauce’s overall taste profile.

How to make Honey BBQ Meatballs

Homemade Meatballs

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, bread crumbs, onion, BBQ spice, garlic, salt and black pepper.

Step 2: Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or use parchment paper to keep the meatballs from sticking. Roll the mixture into small meatballs and place on the baking sheet.

Step 3: Bake for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through. Meatballs are done when they reach 165 degrees. While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce.

Sauce

Step 1: Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, ketchup, bourbon, cornstarch, garlic, and Dijon mustard to a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Step 2: Remove meatballs from the oven and toss them in the BBQ sauce. Return the meatballs to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Step 3: Use the extra sauce as a dipping sauce for the meatballs.

Tips

• If you are looking for a fast way to make cocktail meatballs, consider using bags of pre-made meatballs instead of making homemade.
• Make larger size meatballs if you prefer.
• Double or triple the recipe for a larger party.
• Love the flavors of this recipe? Make Honey Bourbon Wings, one of our most popular recipes on the blog.

What to serve with honey bourbon meatballs

I love to serve mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and garlic bread to make a complete meal.

If you like to serve something green with dinner, consider a wedge salad or Brussels sprouts to go with this easy meatball recipe.

Leftover chicken meatball storage

Fridge: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Slow cooker bourbon meatballs

• Place the cooked meatballs in the slow cooker. Pour the bourbon sauce over the meatballs, ensuring they are coated evenly. Keep them warm in the slow cooker until ready to serve.

More meatball recipes

Italian Meatballs – Perfect for spaghetti and meatballs, in soup, or as an Italian meatball sub sandwich.

Southwest Meatballs – Made with ground chicken, bell pepper, cilantro, ground tortilla chips, jalapeno, sour cream, and just the right combination of spices.

Asian Meatballs – This recipe will become a family favorite for an easy weeknight dinner, or make them as an appetizer for game day festivities.

Orange Meatballs – A healthy version of a classic Chinese-American takeout dish. Tender chicken meatballs (with a hint of garlic and ginger) are tossed in a rich soy glaze with bright citrus flavors.

Most recent recipes

Sharing is caring!