Preheat your oven to 450° F. Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs and milk. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until the bread crumbs absorb the milk entirely.
Once the milk is absorbed, add the ground chicken, minced garlic, minced shallot, minced ginger, large egg, soy sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Using your hands, gently mix everything together. Be careful not to overwork the mixture, as this can make the meatballs tough.
Now, it’s time to portion out the meatballs. I like to use a medium scoop, roughly the size of two tablespoons. This will yield about 20 to 22 meatballs, which is perfect for sharing. Roll the mixture lightly in your hands to form neat balls before placing them into the mini muffin pan.
Pop the muffin pan in the oven and bake the meatballs for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them and look for a golden color; they should be fully cooked through by the end of the baking time.
While the meatballs are baking, you can prepare the sweet oyster sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium to medium-low heat, combine the vegetable oil and sesame oil. Allow the oils to warm up before adding the minced garlic and minced ginger. Sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Once the garlic and ginger are softened and fragrant, stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and honey. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will help thicken it a bit while allowing the flavors to meld.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. When the sauce is gently bubbling, whisk in the slurry. Let it bubble away for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens, then remove it from heat.
Once your meatballs are done baking, transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle the hot sweet oyster sauce over the top and gently fold the meatballs to coat them evenly with the sauce.
To serve, take a lettuce leaf and place one or two of the meatballs inside. Top with optional garnishes like toasted sesame seeds, chopped red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Enjoy this delightful dish!
