Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
You’re going to love this easy Marry Me Chicken Meatballs recipe. Juicy chicken meatballs in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce is your new go-to weeknight dinner.
When you find a combination that works, you make it in every iteration possible, right? Well, that’s what I do anyway. When I first tasted the absolutely delicious Marry Me Chicken sauce, I knew it would work in a myriad of ways. I LOVE chicken meatballs because they are so easy to make, cooks so quickly and are a great blank canvas for flavor. The juicy meatballs are so good in the savory spinach and sun-dried tomato sauce, making this one of our new family favorites.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground chicken / chicken mince. Ground turkey can be used too.
- Parmesan cheese.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Fresh breadcrumbs can also be used; see recipe notes in the recipe card. Gluten-free breadcrumbs can also be substituted.
- Egg.
- Seasonings: garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Other spices like onion powder, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and dried herbs like basil, sage or thyme will also be good.
For The Marry Me Sauce
- Bacon. An optional addition but it adds great flavor to the finished sauce.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. If using sun-dried tomatoes in oil, reserve a tablespoon of the oil and cook the garlic in it for extra flavor.
- Baby spinach.
- Chicken stock.
- Heavy cream.
- Milk mixed with cornstarch.
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Salt and pepper.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Meatballs: Mix the ingredients together and scoop into balls. Use wet hands to form.
- Cook the meatballs: Brown meatballs; set aside.
- Make the sauce: Cook bacon, then garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and add the spinach. Add the liquid ingredients, season then add the meatballs back. Simmer until cooked.
- Serve: Scatter over fresh parsley or basil and serve.
Can I Make This Ahead?
The chicken meatballs can be made and kept covered in the fridge for a day or two before cooking. Scoop the meatballs then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with foil and refrigerate. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving Marry Me Chicken Meatballs over cooked pasta, mashed potatoes or creamy polenta. It’s also delicious with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. If you want a vegetable side dish, I would recommend broccoli or zucchini.
Ingredients
For The Chicken Meatballs
- 1 lb (500g) ground chicken /chicken mince
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs or use ½cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano sage, basil or thyme can be used too.
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For The Marry Me Sauce
- ½ lb (250g) bacon finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, finely chopped
- 7 oz (200g) baby spinach
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh lemon juice to taste
- fresh basil or parsley to serve
Instructions
- Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl then mix with a fork until combined.
- Using an ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop the mixture into balls. Wet your hands then form each ball into a meatball.
- In a large skillet, pan or braiser set over medium heat, brown the meatballs in a splash of olive oil. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook the bacon until crisp, remove and set aside.
- Cook the garlic and sundried tomatoes in a teaspoon or two of the sun-dried tomato oil (if using).
- Add the spinach and allow to wilt then deglaze the pan with the chicken stock.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and milk. Pour in the chicken stock and cream along with the cornstarch slurry.
- Season with lemon, salt and pepper.
- Add meatballs back and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken meatballs are cooked through.
- Scatter over fresh parsley or basil and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Chicken Meatball Recipe
