Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
This marry me chicken meatballs recipe has a luxurious creamy tomato sauce with fresh basil, and the meatballs are melt-in-your-mouth tender! It’s a date night treat.
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (see note)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 small handful fresh basil (chopped/torn)
- Add all the meatball ingredients except for the olive oil to a fairly large prep bowl. Using your hands, mix everything together well, but don't overwork the mixture. The mixture will be quite wet. Form 1" meatballs (it'll make around 30 or so). Place them on a wax/parchment paper lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and let it heat up for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in two batches until they're browned all over (about 5 min/batch). I use tongs to turn them. The meatballs will brown quite fast, so turn them often. If needed, add another splash of olive oil to the skillet for the second batch. Transfer meatballs to a plate once they're browned.
- Take the pan off the burner for a minute or two so that it gets a chance to cool a bit. If there's a lot of excess oil in the skillet, drain it, but leave the browned pieces (don't wipe out the pan).
- Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat. Add in the garlic and wine, and let it bubble for about a minute or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry.
- Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and once the tomato paste is incorporated, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch slurry. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the meatballs back to the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes or so until they're cooked through (165F), and the sauce has thickened to your liking. If the sauce thickens up too much, add in another splash of cream or some more wine or chicken broth.
- Sprinkle with the fresh basil, season with salt & pepper as needed (I am generous with cream sauces!), and serve immediately.
Why you’ll love it
There’s something very special about perfectly seasoned homemade meatballs. It was a no-brainer to pair them with the “marry me” flavor profile. You guys are pretty committed to it, like in my Marry Me Chicken Pasta! You’ll witness true flavor in these chicken meatballs.
The luscious sauce has white wine, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. You won’t chicken out at the altar with these marry me meatballs. The ol’ meatball and chain. Ok, I think I’ve made enough marriage puns on these kinds of recipes to last a lifetime.
What you’ll need
Garlic – we’re using plenty
Dry white wine – pick one you’d enjoy drinking (not cooking wine)! Try sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
Heavy cream – for that unmatched silky texture.
Tomatoes – we’re using a combo of tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes.
Oregano – it goes so well with tomatoes.
Red pepper flakes – a way to infuse warmth into sauces without making it spicy.
Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce.
Basil – a final burst of freshness.
Helpful tips
I highly recommend using disposable nitrile gloves for handling the meatballs since they can be sticky.
Get your skillet nice and HOT so that the meatballs don’t stick when you’re searing them. They may also stick if you try to turn them too early, so be patient!
Chicken meatballs can brown fast, so check often. The second batch tends to go a bit faster than the first since the skillet is hotter.
How to make marry me chicken meatballs
Mix the meatball ingredients (minus the olive oil) in a prep bowl with your hands. Form into meatballs, and place on a lined baking sheet for easy cleanup.
Heat up the oil in a skillet. Working in two batches, pan fry the meatballs until browned, then transfer to a plate. Let the pan cool, and drain any excess oil. Add in the garlic and wine, and let it bubble until reduced somewhat. Meanwhile, make a cornstarch slurry.
Stir in the cream and tomato paste, then add the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch slurry. Scrape up the browned bits. Return the meatballs, and simmer until they’re cooked through. Add the basil, and season generously with salt & pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
Chicken is cooked when an instant read thermometer registers 165F.
Use tongs to turn the meatballs when browning them in a cast iron skillet. It makes it so much easier!
I use my Zyliss grater for the parm in this one.
Substitutions and variations
Easily swap the white wine for chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
Ground chicken is fairly sticky, so you can get away without using the egg if needed. If, however, you decide to sub the ground chicken for ground turkey or ground beef, I recommend keeping the egg in so that they don’t fall apart.
What to serve with marry me chicken meatballs
I don’t think there would be any objections to serving these meatballs with a big pile of Garlic Mashed Potatoes and my flavorful Sautéed Green Beans.
Rice or even crusty bread would be perfect to have and to hold all that glorious sauce.
For a light and elegant salad to couple it with, try my Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad.
Leftovers and storage
Store any leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
Reheat slowly on a low heat in a small saucepan so that the sauce is less likely to separate.
I don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces because the texture may change.
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
marry me chicken meatballs recipe has a luxurious creamy tomato sauce with fresh basil, and the meatballs are melt-in-your-mouth tender! It's a date night treat.
