Marry me chicken meatballs are made with tender homemade meatballs simmered in a rich, creamy sauce with tangy sun-dried tomatoes. A comforting meal ready in 40 minutes!
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Marry Me Meatballs Are All About Viral Sauce
Marry me chicken meatballs are a fun twist on the classic marry me chicken. I’ve also made a marry Me chicken pasta! Honestly, what can I say, I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy that irresistible creamy sun-dried tomato sauce!
This version features seasoned chicken meatballs simmered in the rich, savory sauce, plus all made in one skillet for an easy weeknight dinner. Just add pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up every last drop (and save yourself from licking the plate clean!).
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s a one-pan meal for minimal cleanup, ready in 40 minutes.
- The meatballs are a fun change to this recipe, especially great with pasta!
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Lean ground chicken: I use 80% lean ground chicken. It won’t produce much grease, so you’ll definitely need some olive oil for the skillet.
- Large egg and Parmesan cheese: These act as binders and help keep the meatballs moist since we’re not using any breadcrumbs. Parmesan will also be needed for the cream sauce.
- Seasoning: Minced garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper. You’ll also need Italian seasoning and optional red pepper flakes for the sauce.
- Chicken broth and heavy cream: The base of the sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: Drain the oil and finely chop the dried tomatoes.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix.
Using a medium cookie scoop, divide and form the meat mixture and cook in a large heated skillet for about 1-15 minutes, turning frequently. Transfer meatballs to a plate.
In the same pan, reduce heat and cook garlic for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Stir in the broth and use the wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Remove the skillet from the heat and cool slightly. Then, whisk in the cream and sprinkle in the Parmesan. Gently stir until the cheese has melted.
Return skillet to heat and whisk sauce for a minute before stirring in the tomatoes, seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer before placing the meatballs back in the sauce and coating with sauce.
Tips and Variations
- This recipe works great with ground turkey meatballs.
- Add fresh spinach to the sauce or mushrooms. You could also finish it with some fresh basil.
- If using sundried tomatoes not packed in oil, add a bit of extra olive oil to the pan for extra flavor.
- Omit the sun-dried tomatoes and swap them with roasted red pepper.
- Use a cookie scoop for the meatballs to ensure they’re all the same size. This will help ensure even cooking throughout.
- The internal temperature of the meatballs should be 165°F once they’re done.
- A deep skillet is preferred for simmering the marry me chicken meatballs and sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Marry me chicken meatballs with orzo is a great place to start! You could also try it with any of your favorite pasta noodles; bowties, penne, spaghetti or linguine.
I also love it with stovetop rice or creamy mashed potatoes and a loaf of French bread.
More chicken meatballs recipes to try include Greek chicken meatballs, Buffalo chicken meatballs and chicken Parmesan meatballs.
More Meatball Recipes
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
Chicken
Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves , minced (1 Tablespoon)
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream , at room temperature
- ⅓ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil , drained and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes , optional
- salt and pepper , to taste
For serving: basil, pasta or mashed potatoes
Instructions
Chicken
- Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 1 pound ground chicken, 1 egg, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper using your hands or a wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix.
- Heat skillet: Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat.
- Scoop meatballs: Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to scoop the meat into the skillet.
- Cook Meatballs: Sauté meatballs 10-15 minutes over medium heat, turning frequently. When cooked thoroughly (165°F), transfer meatballs to a plate.
Sauce
- Sauté garlic: In the same pan, reduce heat to medium low. Add 3 garlic cloves and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in 3/4 cup broth, scraping up any loose browned bits.
- Whisk in cream and cheese: Transfer pan to a cold burner and let cool slightly. Whisk in 1/2 cup cream until smooth. Sprinkle in 1/3 cup parmesan and gently stir until cheese has melted.
- Add seasoning: Return skillet to medium-low heat and whisk sauce 1 minute until heated. Stir in 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer with meatballs: Bring to a slow simmer, stirring occasionally. Return the cooked meatballs to the pan, ensuring they are well coated in the sauce. Simmer 2 more minutes, or until meatballs are warmed through.
- Serve: Spoon remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with basil. Serve warm with mashed potatoes or noodles.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Recipe FAQs
You can. If you scoop them out, form them, and place them on a plate, they can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
You can also flash freeze them (if the meat was not previously frozen) and transfer them to a freezer bag to keep frozen for a month. Thaw in the fridge and cook as desired.
Yes! If you’re serving it with rice or pasta, I recommend storing everything separately. Otherwise, the sides will soak up too much of the sauce.
Alisha
Very delicious. A hit with the whole family. – Alisha, recipe tester
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad your family loved the marry me chicken meatballs!