Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
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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.
Prep 15 minutes minutes
Cook 20 minutes minutes
Total 35 minutes minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 6
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional – makes meatballs more moist)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil (minced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper ( to taste)
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 you’d 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 – dinner in 15 minutes!
Calories: 361calProtein: 22gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 608mgPotassium: 946mgTotal Carbs: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gNet Carbs: 12gVitamin A: 698IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 196mgIron: 3mg
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