Smashed Chicken Meatballs with Suya and Charred Corn
Updated September 17, 2025

- Ready In
- 45 min
- Rating
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Ingredients
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
Preparation
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Private Notes
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!
Delicious as written. Amazing peanut sauce with lots of leftovers. Served with pearl couscous and it was a huge hit. Next day the leftovers went into a tortilla for a tasty twist on a quesadilla.
I found the recipe a bit too back and forth so I’ve simplified it. Mix the peanut butter concoction in a small saucepan so the heat will help it mix easily. Added a dash of tamari and gojugong to it. Put 2-3 spoons of liquid peanut butter mixture in large bowl with ground chicken, spinach (didn’t have kale), extra ginger, a few dashes of garlic, paprika and onion salt along with a dash of cayenne and mixed with hands. Cooked the meatballs like it said. Added a little honey to warm peanut butter mixture. Drained the meatballs on paper towels. Added frozen corn to the pan and browned some, then added a little chicken stock and lime juice to scrape the pan with the corn and bits. Plate with lettuce, meatballs, corn and drizzle peanut butter mixture over top. Served with a little rice. Leftovers are great for lettuce wraps for lunch!
used broccoli rabe and didn't have corn. the flavor was great and so different than anything I've had in the past. A lovely heat. I certainly went freestyle with what I had on hand.
