These wraps are baked ground chicken meatballs seasoned with red curry paste and fish sauce, served in napa cabbage leaves with a quick coconut peanut sauce and a cucumber miso salsa. The honest reason to make them: the whole thing comes together in about an hour, uses one baking tray and one skillet, and the result is genuinely filling without feeling heavy. Ground chicken is mild enough that the sauce does the heavy lifting on flavor, which makes this a forgiving recipe for anyone still getting comfortable with ground meat.
What makes this version work
Two things matter most here. First, whipping the coconut cream before mixing in the ground chicken traps a little air and fat into the mixture, which keeps the meatballs from turning dense and dry during the 30-minute bake — ground poultry has almost no fat of its own, so this step is doing real work. Second, the cucumber miso salsa is made first and left to sit while the meatballs cook. That resting time lets the rice wine vinegar and miso paste pull moisture out of the cucumber and bell pepper, turning a simple chop into something that actually tastes seasoned all the way through. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish. The salsa and peanut sauce together provide all the color and contrast you need on the plate.
Troubleshooting
- Meatballs fall apart when rolling: The mixture is too wet. Add breadcrumbs one tablespoon at a time until the mix holds its shape when pressed. Ground chicken varies in moisture content by brand, so the recipe amount is a starting point, not a guarantee.
- Meatballs are still pink inside at 30 minutes: Oven temperatures vary. Ground chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) at the center — use an instant-read thermometer rather than relying on color alone. Add 5-minute increments until the temperature is confirmed.
- Peanut sauce seizes or turns grainy: The heat was too high. Keep the skillet on medium and stir continuously once the peanut butter goes in. If it does seize, add a splash of water or extra coconut milk and stir over low heat until smooth.
- Cabbage leaves tear when separating: Cut the base of the napa cabbage head off cleanly, then peel leaves from the outside in. Chill the head in the fridge for 20 minutes before separating — cold leaves are more pliable and less likely to split.
- Salsa is watery by serving time: Drain off the excess liquid with a spoon before assembling wraps. The liquid is flavorful but will make the cabbage soggy fast, especially if you are serving this as finger food.
Storage and reheating
Store the meatballs, peanut sauce, and cucumber salsa in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Meatballs and peanut sauce keep well for up to 3 days; the salsa is best within 24 hours because the cucumber softens noticeably after that. To reheat, put the meatballs back into the peanut sauce in a skillet over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) again. The microwave works in a pinch — 90 seconds on medium power, stirring once halfway through. The meatballs freeze well without the sauce for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Do not freeze the salsa or the assembled wraps.
Healthy Thai Meatball Cabbage Wraps
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken (minced chicken)
1 tablespoon fish sauce- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
¾ cup breadcrumbs- 3 tablespoons coconut cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 can coconut milk- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons ginger - grated- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cucumber Miso Salsa Ingredients
1 large cucumber - seedless, chopped
1 medium yellow bell peppers (yellow capsicum) - chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger - grated
- 1 head napa cabbage
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce - for serving
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cucumber Miso Salsa Instructions
- In a small/medium bowl, whisk soy sauce, vinegar, miso paste and grated ginger. Add cucumber and bell pepper and mix well. Set aside about an hour while you prepare the meatballs.
Meatball Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk coconut cream well until light and airy – about 1 minute.
- Add ground chicken, fish sauce, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands. Once mixed until combined (don’t overmix), roll into balls about the size of 1 to 2 tablespoons. With this amount of mixture, I made 15 to 16 meatballs.
- Place on a sprayed baking tray and bake until cooked through for about 30 minutes.
Peanut Sauce Instructions
- About 15 minutes into the meatballs cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add red curry paste and let heat for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add coconut milk (or coconut cream and milk if you are doing this way), sesame oil, peanut butter and grated ginger. Let cook until all have combined well for about 10 minutes or so.
- When meatballs are done, place in peanut sauce skillet and let combined. Remove heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
- For the wraps, layer meatballs and salsa and any extra peanut sauce. Serve with sriracha.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?
Yes, ground turkey works as a direct swap and behaves almost identically in this recipe. Like chicken, it must reach 165°F (74°C) at the center, and it has similarly low fat content, so do not skip the coconut cream step.
How do I know when the meatballs are fully cooked?
The only reliable way is an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the largest meatball — it needs to read 165°F (74°C). Color is not a safe guide with ground chicken, which can look done on the outside while still being undercooked inside.
Can I make any part of this ahead of time?
The cucumber miso salsa is actually better made first and refrigerated for up to a few hours before serving. The meatballs and peanut sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated together in a skillet, which makes this a practical option for a weeknight meal where you want most of the work done in advance.
Try these next
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Quick Lamb Coconut Rendang
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
