Smashed Chicken Meatballs with Suya and Charred Corn

Updated September 17, 2025

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Ready In
45 min
Rating
5(648)
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The earthy, robust notes of suya spice taste best when paired with a protein seared over high heat. Here, it marinates ground chicken along with fresh chile, ginger and garlic, and seasons a peanut dressing that’s drizzled over the meatballs. To keep lean chicken juicy while it cooks, miso and chopped spinach are stirred into the meat and the mixture is loosely formed into balls with a spoon. The deeply seared meatballs are smashed and give the entire dish a lovely brown hue, along with charred corn. A topping of herbs adds freshness to the hearty meal served over rice.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • ½ cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter

  • 3 tablespoons suya spice (see Tips), plus more for sprinkling

  • 2 teaspoons white or red miso, divided

  • Salt

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • Zest and juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving

  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey

  • 1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and excess liquid squeezed out

  • 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, seeded for mild if desired, chopped

  • 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, finely grated 

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 to 3 ears) or thawed frozen kernels 

  • 1 (5-ounce) box baby kale

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro and mint leaves, chopped

  • Rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

39 grams carbs; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 478 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 648 milligrams sodium; 24 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter, 1 tablespoon suya spice, 1 teaspoon miso and ½ cup water until smooth; taste and season with salt if necessary. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a medium bowl. To the sauce remaining in the small bowl, add the honey and the lime zest and juice; whisk until smooth. The finished sauce should run easily off a spoon. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if needed and season to taste with salt. 

  2. Step 2

    To the medium bowl, add the chicken, spinach, chile, ginger, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons suya spice, remaining 1 teaspoon miso and 1 teaspoon salt. Using your hands, mix well to combine. 

  3. Step 3

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (or other large heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high. Once the oil is very hot, add the meat in heaping irregular chunks by scooping it with a large spoon or your hands and carefully dropping it into the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until dark brown underneath and crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Flip the meatballs and use a wooden spoon to smash the meat, breaking up any very large pieces. Move the meatballs to one side of the skillet, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil then the corn to the other side. Cook without stirring until corn is light brown in spots and meat is fully cooked, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

  5. Step 5

    Spread the greens on a large serving platter and top with the crispy meat and corn. Sprinkle generously with more suya spice. Drizzle with the peanut sauce and top with herbs. Serve immediately with lime wedges and rice.

Tip
  • To make about ¼ cup suya spice, combine ¼ cup toasted peanuts, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in a spice grinder. Pulse to blend into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
648 user ratings
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Comments

Wow! What an interesting dish, unlike anything I’ve had before. Super flavorful! I opted without corn and instead served it over roasted butternut squash and wow with the peanut sauce this was out of this world. I cooked the meatballs in the air fryer for a less messy alternative. Delicious!

@Erika so glad to see this suggestion because I don’t have corn but do have butternut squash from the garden 👍 It’s always a good day when I can postpone going to the grocery store!

@Erika how did you do the smashing in the air fryer? Halfway through? Thanks!

This is ridiculously good. My whole family loves it (and that includes a tween and a teen who can be picky customers). Nicely adaptable too—I served it over a bed of farro with additional veggies (leeks and red peppers) tonight and it was delicious. I made it exactly as written the first time and that was excellent too. The suya spice is absolutely worth making and the amount in the recipe is enough to make the dish two or three time.

Go ahead and make this already!! So flavorful and came together pretty easily. Made my own suya as directed in the tip section. Sauce did make quite a bit but now I know to scale back or just save it for another round which there most certainly will be. Also didn’t have a habanero handy so subbed hot sauce in the meatballs with good success.

I tried fresh spinach instead of frozen. I'm guessing this made it more difficult to form balls. Next time I'll use a large bowl instead of a medium bowl as called for (easier to mix by hand without things taking it if the bowl. I forgot the garlic, and the meal was still wonderful. Next time I won't forget, and I am really looking forward to the next time!

Ah but that’s the beauty of this technique—you don’t have to form balls! Just plop the meat into the pan in irregular hunks as per the recipe and it will come out crispy and delicious.

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