Asian Chicken Meatball Sliders with Pickled Carrot and Daikon

Total Time:	45 min
Cook Time:	45 min
Serves:	8 sliders
Level:	Intermediate

Ingredients

Quick-Pickles:

• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 cup julienned carrot 
• 1 cup julienned daikon 

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon mirin 
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons sambal (Asian chile-garlic sauce)

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground chicken (50/50 white and dark meat)
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil 
• 1 egg, whisked 
• 3 scallions, finely chopped 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• Canola oil, for the pan 
• 8 soft Hawaiian buns 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves 
• 8 bamboo skewers

Directions

1. For the quick-pickles: In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the carrot and daikon and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Refrigerate, covered, for 2 hours.
2. For the sauce: Bring the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, vinegar and sambal to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. For the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, panko, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg, scallions and some salt and pepper. Mix well to combine, but don’t overwork. Form the mixture into eight 2-inch balls.
4. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the pan with canola oil. Add the meatballs and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked though. Baste generously with sauce during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
5. To assemble the sliders: Serve the meatballs on the buns, topping each with a tablespoon of the quick-pickles (drained) and some cilantro leaves. Secure with bamboo skewers and serve on a large platter with extra sauce on the side.