Meatballs with Honey-Chipotle Teriyaki Sauce

Culinary fusion... mind blown. Southwest-inspired, smoky chipotle chilies join a teriyaki-style sauce of soy, honey, mirin, and sesame. The sauce is inspired and complex, and makes the perfect shellac for tender roasted meatballs. Yeah, I said shellac.

Soy + sesame + chipotle + honey... I realize it sounds odd, but it works. Like REALLY works. All the flavors balance each other while emphasizing their essence. You've got salty, sweet, tangy, smoky, and spicy. All in one sauce. It's remarkable. And made with just a handful of ingredients.

And when I say handful of ingredients, I really mean it. The meatballs are seasoned with spice-rack staples and roasted until browned and caramelized. I LOVE roasting meatballs because they cook perfectly every time and there's virtually NO clean-up (or stove-top splatter).

The sauce is equally easy and made with staples you often find in your fridge. Doesn't every fridge have mirin? :-) Sold next to the soy sauce, if you don't have it already, grab an (inexpensive) bottle of sweet mirin and keep it on hand.

Make the sauce while the meatballs roast and dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes!

Serving suggestion: I suggest you serve the meatballs and sauce over something to mop up the sauce. Like EVERY drop of the magical stuff. I served rice, but Asian noodles would be equally fabulous.

Meatballs with Honey-Chipotle Teriyaki Sauce 

1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups beef broth, divided
1/4 cup soy sauce or liquid aminos
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoon minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Cooked rice or Asian noodles for serving, optional
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (you can buy them already toasted; or toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown)
Chopped green onions for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion powder, garlic powder, cilantro, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 16 meatballs. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of the broth, soy sauce, honey, chipotle chilies, mirin, and sesame oil. Whisk until blended. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup of broth and add to the skillet. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve over rice or Asian noodles (if desired) and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions (if using).
Serves 4