Description
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs feature Italian-seasoned ground chicken meatballs simmered in a rich and creamy Tuscan-inspired sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. This comforting dish is perfect over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice and is an instant crowd favorite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
- 1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Marry Me Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a medium-sized bowl, combine ground chicken, dried Italian bread crumbs, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly using your hands or a fork until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into 10 large meatballs or 18 smaller meatballs, depending on your preference for size.
- Cook Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until they are browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Make the Sauce Base: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Create Roux: Stir in the flour to form a paste, cooking for 1-2 minutes while stirring continuously to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add Liquids: Slowly whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- Incorporate Cheese and Seasoning: Add grated Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Return the cooked meatballs to the skillet, spooning sauce over them. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer together for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the meatballs to heat completely.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Notes
- For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Use fresh Italian herbs instead of dried for more vibrant flavor.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the skillet when browning meatballs to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- To save time, prepare the sauce while meatballs are browning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
