Chicken Meatballs in Cream Sauce with juicy seasoned meatballs simmered in sauce—serve over noodles, rice, or inside a roll.
Silky Cream-Bathed Chicken Meatballs
Juicy, seasoned chicken meatballs simmered in a velvety, savory cream sauce—comfort food that’s quick enough for weeknights and cozy enough for a lazy Sunday.
If you love meatballs but want something a little lighter and a lot tender, ground chicken is your answer. Breadcrumbs, a splash of milk, an egg, and a little grated Parmesan keep the texture soft and moist, while finely minced onion and garlic fold straight into the mix for bite-sized pockets of flavor. Form them about 1¼–1½ inches across (damp hands help), and you should end up with roughly 20–24 meatballs—perfect for feeding a family of six or for making extra to freeze.
Browning is where the magic starts: heat a 12-inch skillet, work in batches so they get golden all around, and don’t worry if they’re not cooked through yet. Those toasted edges and caramelized bits in the pan add deep savory notes to the sauce, so save them—wipe the skillet only if there’s a heavy burnt layer, otherwise use that fond. Transferring the browned meatballs to a plate keeps them intact while you build the sauce.
The sauce is satisfyingly simple and indulgent without being fussy. Start with butter and olive oil, soften the reserved minced onion until fragrant, add garlic, then whisk in a little flour to form a roux. Gradually stir in low-sodium chicken broth and simmer until the sauce thickens to a silky coat—finish with a handful of grated Parmesan for richness and a final seasoning adjustment. Nestle the browned meatballs back into the pan and simmer gently until cooked through so they soak up the sauce.
Serve spooned over buttered noodles, steamed rice, or tuck them into a soft roll for an easy, stick-to-your-ribs dinner. Make-ahead note: you can brown the meatballs a day ahead and refrigerate, then finish in the sauce when you’re ready; leftovers reheat beautifully and also freeze well. The result is tender, savory meatballs cloaked in a creamy, savory sauce—comfort-food texture with weekday-friendly timing.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Meatballs in Cream Sauce
- Finely mince half the onion (reserve the other half for the sauce) and mince the garlic; in a large bowl combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan, minced onion (half), minced garlic, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; mix gently until just combined.
- With damp hands, form the mixture into even meatballs about 1 1/4–1 1/2 inches in diameter (you should get roughly 20–24 meatballs); place them on a rimmed sheet or plate while you heat the pan.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil; working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, brown the meatballs on all sides until golden (about 6–8 minutes total per batch); they do not need to be fully cooked through—transfer browned meatballs to a plate.
- Wipe the skillet if it has a lot of browned bits, return to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter; add the reserved minced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes, then add the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the softened onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste; slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping any browned bits, until smooth and beginning to thicken.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, remaining Parmesan, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; bring the sauce to a gentle simmer so it thickens slightly (about 3–4 minutes).
- Return the browned meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the cream sauce; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F and are cooked through, about 10–12 minutes.
- Uncover and simmer 1–2 minutes more to tighten the sauce to your liking; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then stir in chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve the meatballs and cream sauce hot — they’re classic over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or rice. Let leftovers cool slightly before refrigerating.
Recipe Card
Chicken Meatballs in Cream Sauce
Chicken Meatballs in Cream Sauce with juicy seasoned meatballs simmered in sauce—serve over noodles, rice, or inside a roll.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Finely mince half the onion (reserve the other half for the sauce) and mince the garlic; in a large bowl combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan, minced onion (half), minced garlic, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; mix gently until just combined.
- With damp hands, form the mixture into even meatballs about 1 1/4–1 1/2 inches in diameter (you should get roughly 20–24 meatballs); place them on a rimmed sheet or plate while you heat the pan.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil; working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, brown the meatballs on all sides until golden (about 6–8 minutes total per batch); they do not need to be fully cooked through—transfer browned meatballs to a plate.
- Wipe the skillet if it has a lot of browned bits, return to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter; add the reserved minced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes, then add the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the softened onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste; slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping any browned bits, until smooth and beginning to thicken.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, remaining Parmesan, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; bring the sauce to a gentle simmer so it thickens slightly (about 3–4 minutes).
- Return the browned meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the cream sauce; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F and are cooked through, about 10–12 minutes.
- Uncover and simmer 1–2 minutes more to tighten the sauce to your liking; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then stir in chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve the meatballs and cream sauce hot — they’re classic over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or rice. Let leftovers cool slightly before refrigerating.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 16
- Saturated Fat
- 17
- Sodium
- 740
- Fiber
- 1
- Unsaturated Fat
- 22
- Protein
- 36
- Fat
- 40
- Cholesterol
- 224
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 573
- Sugar
- 2