Marry Me Chicken Meatballs with juicy seasoned meatballs simmered in sauce—serve over noodles, rice, or inside a roll.
Weeknight Creamy Sun‑Dried Tomato Meatballs
Juicy seasoned chicken meatballs simmered in a silky sun‑dried tomato cream sauce—simple enough for a weeknight, cozy enough for company.
These meatballs fix the dinner dilemma of wanting something comforting without spending the evening over the stove. Ground chicken keeps the meatballs light, while panko, an egg, and grated Parmesan lock in moisture so each bite stays tender instead of dense. Forming small 1¼‑inch meatballs and giving them a quick brown on all sides means they pick up caramelized flavor without overcooking—then finish gently in the sauce so they stay juicy through and through.
The sauce is what turns them from good to unforgettable: softened onion and garlic, oil‑packed sun‑dried tomatoes for a concentrated tang, a hit of tomato paste, then chicken broth and heavy cream to melt everything into a glossy, rich finish. A little Parmesan and Italian seasoning tie the sauce to the meatballs, and simmering the browned balls in that sauce lets them soak up all the savory, slightly sweet tomato notes.
Serve these over buttered noodles, steamed rice, or tucked into soft rolls for a saucy sandwich — sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan for contrast. They’re also very make‑ahead friendly: form and freeze the raw meatballs for an easy future meal, or brown them earlier in the day and finish them in the sauce when you’re ready to eat.
With about 20 minutes of hands‑on prep and 30 minutes of cooking, this recipe is a dependable, family‑style supper that feels indulgent without fuss. It’s one of those dishes that travels well to potlucks, reheats cleanly for lunches, and is forgiving enough to tweak—more sun‑dried tomatoes, less cream, or extra herbs—until it becomes your go‑to comfort meal.
Ingredients
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic; roughly chop the drained sun-dried tomatoes and chop the parsley; set aside.
- In a large bowl combine ground chicken, panko, egg, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper (from pantry), and half the minced garlic; mix gently until just combined and form into 18–20 meatballs about 1 1/4 inches each.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side) until golden but not fully cooked through; transfer meatballs to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, and sauté the diced onion until soft, about 4 minutes; add the remaining garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and Italian seasoning, cook 30 seconds, then pour in the chicken broth scraping up browned bits; simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Lower heat to medium-low and stir in heavy cream, red pepper flakes, the remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, and 3/4 tsp salt (taste and adjust); simmer the sauce gently 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce; cover and simmer on low 10–12 minutes until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F and sauce is creamy and cohesive.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and a little extra grated Parmesan before serving.
- Serve hot over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Recipe Card
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs with juicy seasoned meatballs simmered in sauce—serve over noodles, rice, or inside a roll.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic; roughly chop the drained sun-dried tomatoes and chop the parsley; set aside.
- In a large bowl combine ground chicken, panko, egg, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper (from pantry), and half the minced garlic; mix gently until just combined and form into 18–20 meatballs about 1 1/4 inches each.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side) until golden but not fully cooked through; transfer meatballs to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, and sauté the diced onion until soft, about 4 minutes; add the remaining garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and Italian seasoning, cook 30 seconds, then pour in the chicken broth scraping up browned bits; simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Lower heat to medium-low and stir in heavy cream, red pepper flakes, the remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, and 3/4 tsp salt (taste and adjust); simmer the sauce gently 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce; cover and simmer on low 10–12 minutes until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F and sauce is creamy and cohesive.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and a little extra grated Parmesan before serving.
- Serve hot over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 15
- Saturated Fat
- 13
- Sodium
- 900
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 20
- Protein
- 33
- Fat
- 33
- Cholesterol
- 180
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 500
- Sugar
- 2