Creamy, Marry Me Chicken is a family favorite in our house at mealtime. If you haven’t heard of the recipe before, it’s basically chicken cooked in a cream sauce, flavored with sundried tomatoes and herbs. The flavor is phenomenal! These Marry Me Chicken meatballs are just as good, but in a bite sized form.
Anytime I can cut down on meal prep time or make things easier, the better. With a housefull of kids (including the neighbor kids many days!) I need something that’s quick and easy. I also don’t want to sacrifice flavor for easy though.
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Meatballs are a great, kid-friendly food because they’re bite-sized. And of course adults love them too. We’ll usually do a tomato sauce with meatballs and serve with some spaghetti squash or veggie noodles. This recipe switches it up and does a flavor packed creamy sauce that’s no alfredo.
Even better, they can easily be made dairy free. Instead of butter opt for coconut oil, and instead of Parmesan cheese use nutritional yeast (or omit). You can also use coconut cream instead of dairy cream. The creaminess of the sauce with the tang of the sundried tomatoes and fresh herbs really makes these meatballs stand out.
How to Serve Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
These are so good you’ll probably want to just eat them by the forkful straight from the pan! If you’re looking for some serving tips though, here are some ways to make it a meal.
- Zucchini noodles
- Spaghetti squash
- Mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes
- White rice
- Gluten-free pasta
Starchy foods like rice, pasta, and potatoes are great for soaking up all of the delicious sauce. Options like zucchini noodles and spaghetti squash are perfect for anyone who needs a low carb option.
Here’s how to make them!
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (or almond flour, plus more if needed)
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated, or nutritional yeast)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 1 TBSP fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 TBSP unsalted butter (or ghee or coconut oil)
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce:
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes (drained and chopped – reserve 1 TBSP of the oil)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated, optional)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (julienned)
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, then shape into tablespoon-sized meatballs—you should get about 30.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides, about 5–7 minutes. They don’t need to cook through—they’ll finish in the sauce. Transfer them to a plate and wipe the skillet clean.
- Add the reserved sun-dried tomato oil to the skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Let it simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
- Return the meatballs and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the fresh basil and add more salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Notes
Storing Your Meatballs
These don’t last very long around our house since my kids devour them. They do store well in the fridge though for up to a week if you have leftovers. I’ll often make a double batch of something for supper so we can have leftovers for lunch the next day.
You can also make ahead and freeze Marry Me Chicken meatballs for future meals. Once the meatballs are cooked, and before the sauce is on them, lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. After a few hours in the freezer, transfer to a zip top bag. You can either fully cook the meatballs before freezing, or make a note that they need to finish cooking in the sauce.
Does your family love meatballs? What are some of your favorite ways to make/serve them? Leave a comment and let us know!
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