These Marry Me Chicken Meatballs are made with tender parmesan chicken meatballs in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with garlic and spinach. You brown the meatballs first, then finish with a splash of water, and the lid on, so they cook through without drying out or burning on the bottom.
This is one of those dinners that everyone wanted more of! My 6-year-old yelled, “I want another meatball, they’re so delish!” in between cartwheels down the hall, and my 9-month-old ate them so fast from her high chair.
I partnered with the American Dairy Association Mideast on this recipe because dairy foods are something I regularly incorporate into my meals (see also cottage cheese mac and cheese for a kid favorite!). It’s such a convenient high-quality protein that I can eat myself, and feed my kids!
The first 1,000 days of life (from pregnancy through a kid’s 2nd bday) are really important for early brain development, and dairy provides 7 of the 14 nutrients important to brain development (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics).
As if I needed another reason to make these juicy meatballs on repeat. 🙂
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs That Stay Tender
The key to a tender chicken meatballs is the panade: breadcrumbs soak in milk before the ground chicken goes in. It adds moisture and helps keep lean chicken from drying out. I use this technique in my baked turkey meatballs, too!
I also avoid overmixing and finish the browned meatballs covered with a splash of water. The steam gently cooks the centers without overbrowning the bottoms.
Love meatballs? Try my Greek chicken meatballs, Korean BBQ meatballs, or firecracker meatballs next.
Ingredients That Matter
- Milk: It soaks into the breadcrumbs to create the panade that keeps the meatballs tender. It’s also an easy way to incorporate more dairy into the meatballs themselves!
- Parmesan: It’s mixed directly into the meatballs and melted into the sauce for savory flavor and creaminess.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Save some of the oil from the jar to brown the meatballs. It adds extra flavor without another ingredient!
- White wine or chicken broth: The wine adds more depth, but broth works well if you prefer not to cook with wine.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Step 1. Make the meatballs: Let the breadcrumbs soak in milk, then gently mix in the remaining meatball ingredients. Ground chicken can be sticky, so wet your hands before rolling and use a cookie scoop to keep the meatballs an even size.
Step 2. Cook the meatballs: Brown the meatballs in a large skillet, watching the heat closely. Once they’re golden, add a generous splash of water, cover, and let them finish cooking through.
Step 3. Make the creamy marry me sauce: Remove the meatballs, then make a roux, stir in the wine, broth, cream, and parmesan. Finish with the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and cook until wilted.
Step 4. Finish and serve: Return the meatballs to the pan and spoon the sauce over them to coat.
Love marry me chicken? My marry me chicken soup is a reader favorite!
Tips for Cooking Chicken Meatballs
- Don’t overmix. Mix just until the ingredients are combined so the meatballs stay tender.
- Use a large skillet: This gives the meatballs enough room to brown instead of overcrowding the pan and steaming.
- Watch the browned bits: If the bottom of the skillet starts getting too dark, lower the heat and add a splash of water before they burn.
- Finish them covered: Adding water and closing the lid lets the meatballs steam through without continuing to brown the bottoms.
What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Serve them over pasta or rice to soak up the creamy sauce. Mashed potatoes or crusty bread also works well. And, you can never go wrong with a veggie on the side, like roasted broccoli and carrots.
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
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Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs gluten-free if needed (I like Aelia’s)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 cloves garlic grated
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomato jar
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 jar sun dried tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- For serving: Freshly grated parmesan cheese fresh basil, cooked pasta or rice
Instructions
- Stir together the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk. I like to prep the remaining ingredients while it sits.1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup milk
- Add the ground chicken, onion powder, garlic, Parmesan, and salt. Mix with a spoon or clean hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix.2 lbs ground chicken, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 2 Tablespoons) to portion the mixture, then roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Wet your hands with water as needed to prevent sticking and help create smooth, evenly sized meatballs.
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Once hot, add the meatballs in a single layer. Sear for about 2 minutes per side, until they’re golden brown on every side. Keep a close eye on the heat and reduce it as needed to prevent the brown bits on the bottom of the pan from burning. Add a splash of water to the pan in between the meatballs if this starts to happen.2 Tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- When each side is browned, add a generous splash of water to the bottom of the skillet and cover with the lid. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer the meatballs to a clean plate.
- Reduce the heat to low and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the butter and whisk to form a thick paste.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. It will be lumpy at first and start to come together as it heats. Whisk in the heavy cream and Parmesan and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.1 jar sun dried tomatoes, 2 cups baby spinach, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Return the meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them to coat. Garnish with Parmesan and basil and serve warm over pasta or rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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