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All the flavors of our reader-favorite Marry Me Chicken, in a tender, deliciously savory meatball! Easy to make but packed with flavor, this marry me chicken meatball recipe is smothered in Parmesan cream sauce, dotted with sun-dried tomatoes, and finished with fresh basil., Great as a main dish, leftovers, or excellent for meal prep. Iโd say โI doโ to these every day!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- Everything cooks in the same pan, making this an accessible chicken meatballs recipe that eliminates the need for multiple pots and pans. The meatballs brown beautifully, then simmer right in that dreamy marry me sauce.
- From start to finish, you’re looking at 35 minutes total. Mix the meatballs, brown them, make the sauce, and dinner’s done. These marry me chicken meatballs are mild enough for kids but fancy enough for date night.
- That ‘marry me’ sauce isn’t just hypeโthe combination of heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan creates a velvety, tangy-rich sauce that’ll have you wiping the pan clean with bread. Eat as your main dish, save the leftovers for the week, or store them for meal prep; this versatile taste sensation pairs well with so many sides! Try it with Creamy Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Cauliflower, Instant Pot Basmati Rice, or Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Keep your heat at medium to medium-low when adding the cream. High heat can cause the sauce to break or curdle, and you donโt want a yucky, curdled mess!
- Once you add the ground chicken, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing can result in tough, dense meatballs, whereas we want these to be tender and light.
- Let the sauce simmer and thicken โ don’t skip the final simmer! Those few minutes let the flavors meld, and the sauce reaches that perfect spoon-coating consistency that clings to every meatball.
- Don’t skip that deglaze process! When you add the chicken broth, scrape them up with a wooden spoon โ they’re what makes restaurant-style sauces taste so dang good.
Recipe Variations
Make it Spicier: Double the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne to the meatball mixture. A splash of hot sauce in the sauce takes it up another notch.
Add Veggies: Sautรฉed mushrooms or spinach fold beautifully into the finished sauce. Add them during the last minute of simmering.
Different Proteins: This sauce is incredible with turkey meatballs, pork meatballs, or even Italian sausage broken into chunks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake the ground chicken meatballs instead of pan-frying?
Definitely! Bake at 400ยฐF for 18-20 minutes, then add to the sauce. You’ll miss some of the browning flavor, but it’s a great hands-off option.
Can I make this dairy-free?
The sauce won’t be quite the same, but you can substitute coconut cream for heavy cream and nutritional yeast for Parmesan.
Why are my Marry Me Chicken Meatballs falling apart?
This usually means the mixture was too wet or undermixed. Make sure to use panko (not regular breadcrumbs) and mix just until combined.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Mississippi Chicken Pot Roast
- Creamy Ranch Chicken
- Cheesy Pesto Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Bowls
- Chicken Divan
- Bruschetta Chicken
- Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
- Sous Vide Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken
- Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Easy to make but packed with flavor, this marry me chicken meatball recipe is smothered in Parmesan cream sauce, dotted with sun-dried tomatoes, and finished with fresh basil. Great as a main dish, leftovers, or excellent for meal prep.
Equipment
- Large skillet cast iron or heavy-bottomed
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Tongs
- Cookie scoop optional, for even meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- 1 egg
- ยฝ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ยฝ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil optional โ makes meatballs more moist
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil minced
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
For the Marry Me Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
- โ cup chicken broth see notes
- ยฝ cup heavy cream at room temperature
- โ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese at room temperature (see notes)
- ยพ cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced (see notes)
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- ยฝ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes see notes
- fresh basil chiffonaded, for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pound ground chicken, 1 egg, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix until just combined.
- Roll mixture into approximately 30 small balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Heat a layer of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add rolled meatballs to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Make the Sauce
- Move skillet to cool stovetop burner and let cool slightly, then wipe out to remove extra oil and any burned bits. Return to stove and add 1 tablespoon butter. Let melt, then add 2 to 3 minced garlic cloves. Stir constantly for 30 seconds.
- Add 1/3 cup chicken broth and deglaze pan. Bring to simmer and reduce heat, then simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until broth is slightly reduced.
- Remove skillet from heat and add 1/2 cup heavy cream. Whisk gently to incorporate heavy cream into chicken broth. Once liquids are blended, sprinkle 1/3 cup grated Parmesan into mixture and stir gently until cheese has melted.
Finish the Dish
- Return skillet to hot burner and continue stirring sauce mixture for 1 minute, while skillet returns to temperature. Add 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to cream sauce. Stir gently to incorporate ingredients. Taste sauce and adjust salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes as desired.
- Bring sauce to constant slow simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once sauce is simmering, return meatballs to skillet. Turn to coat all sides in sauce, then simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened and meatballs are cooked through.
- Transfer chicken meatballs to serving plates. Top with remaining sauce from skillet and garnish with chiffonaded fresh basil. Serve immediately with desired sides.
Chicken Broth: If youโd like to reduce sodium, use low-sodium broth to control salt levels in the final dish.
Parmesan: Fresh grated melts much better than pre-shredded; bring to room temperature for smoothest incorporation.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Oil-packed variety works best; reserve some oil for extra flavor.
Red Pepper Flakes: Start with less if you’re sensitive to heat; you can always add more.
Lighter Version: Use ground chicken breast, replace heavy cream with half-and-half (add a tablespoon of flour to thicken), and reduce the Parmesan by half.
Make it Dairy-Free: Replace heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk (use the thick cream that separates on top), swap Parmesan for 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, and use vegan butter instead of regular butter. The coconut cream creates an incredibly silky sauce!
Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
Make it Whole30: Replace panko with almond flour, heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk, omit Parmesan and butter (use ghee or extra olive oil instead). The result is still incredibly flavorful!
Storage: Keep leftovers refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth.
Batch Cooking: Double this recipe and freeze half the cooked meatballs (without sauce) for future busy nights. Just defrost and make fresh sauce โ dinner in 15 minutes!
Approximate Information for One Serving
Calories: 361calProtein: 22gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 608mgPotassium: 946mgTotal Carbs: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gNet Carbs: 12gVitamin A: 698IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 196mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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