I turned the viral marry me chicken recipe into juicy, bite-sized meatballs, and I honestly can't decide which version I love more! These Marry Me Chicken Meatballs have a creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce that's just as delicious as the original, but the meatball form makes it so much easier for weeknight dinners and meal prep!
If you're a big fan of all things “marry me”, give my Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup a try, too!
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BEST Marry Me Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Ground chicken is one of my favorite proteins to cook with! It's lean, it's high in protein, and it soaks up whatever flavor you throw at it, which is exactly why it shows up in my Ground Chicken Teriyaki Bowls and my Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps on repeat.
This time, I wanted to put it in something a little richer, so I took everything people love about classic marry me chicken (with that gorgeous sun-dried tomato sauce) and turned it into a cozy, saucy meatball dinner. The sauce alone is something I could practically drink with a spoon, and it's rich enough for a date night at home but easy enough to throw together on a Tuesday. Serve it with my Caprese Orzo Salad or my Italian Chopped Salad for something fresh and tangy on the side!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One skillet, zero fuss. The meatballs brown and the sauce simmers in the very same pan, so cleanup is basically nonexistent.
- It's a protein powerhouse. Ground chicken keeps things lean while the parmesan and cream cheese make sure you'd never guess it.
- That sauce is the whole show. Sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, and parmesan simmer down into something so creamy you'll want to lick the pan.
- It's endlessly servable. Spoon it over orzo, pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes, whatever you're craving, this sauce was made to soak into it.
- Leftovers taste even better. The flavors deepen overnight, so this is one of those rare dinners that's just as good (if not better) the next day.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Don't overmix the meatball mixture! Especially when using a lean protein like chicken, you need to gently mix the meatball mixture. This keeps the meatballs tender instead of dense.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese! That will ensure it melts smoothly into the sauce without lumps.
- Whisk often once the cream cheese goes in to avoid any clumping.
- Let the spinach wilt slowly under a lid rather than stirring it in dry all at once. It'll incorporate much more evenly.
- Serve it with: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, rice pilaf, or your favorite pasta!
Ingredients for Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Here’s a little bit about everything that goes into these marry me chicken meatballs:
- Ground chicken: The base of the meatballs. Ground turkey works well if that's what you have on hand.
- Parmesan cheese: Used in both the meatballs and the sauce for a salty, savory bite. Freshly grated melts into the sauce more smoothly than pre-shredded.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Helps bind the meatballs and keeps them tender. Swap for gluten-free panko to make this recipe celiac-friendly.
- Garlic: Adds savory depth to both the meatballs and the sauce.
- Yellow onion: Builds the flavor base for the sauce.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: The signature “marry me” flavor. Look for the kind packed in oil for the best texture and taste.
- Tomato paste: Deepens the tomato flavor in the sauce.
- Fresh basil: Adds brightness! Feel free to add extra for topping.
- Chicken broth: Forms the base of the sauce. Vegetable broth also works.
- Cream cheese: Creates that signature creamy, rich texture. Let it soften at room temperature so it blends smoothly.
- Whole milk: Helps thin the sauce to the perfect consistency.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds a touch of brightness to balance the richness of the sauce.
- Fresh spinach: Wilts right into the sauce for an easy veggie boost.
How to make marry me chicken meatballs
Start by mixing together the ground chicken, parmesan, panko, salt, and garlic, then roll into meatballs and sear in a hot skillet until browned on the outside. Remove the meatballs and use the same pan to build the sauce, cooking down the onion and sun-dried tomatoes before stirring in the garlic, tomato paste, and seasonings.
Pour in the broth, then whisk in the cream cheese, milk, vinegar, and parmesan until smooth and simmering. Add the meatballs back into the sauce, then cover and let the spinach wilt in before serving over your favorite pasta. Enjoy!
- Step 1: Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, parmesan, panko, salt, and garlic. Roll the mixture into balls using about 2 tablespoons of meat per meatball.
- Step 2: Sear the meatballs. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs, turning every few minutes for even cooking. Cook for 6-8 minutes, then remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
- Step 3: Build the sauce. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook 2-3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomato paste, basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flake, salt, and pepper, then pour the broth. Add the chunks of cream cheese along with the milk, vinegar, and parmesan cheese, whisking to help break up the cream cheese as it warms until the sauce is smooth. Let simmer for a few minutes.
- Step 4: Add the meatballs back in. Return the meatballs to the pot and toss to coat. Add the spinach and cover with a lid to help it soften, stirring often until wilted and submerged in the sauce. Top with more fresh basil and parmesan cheese, and serve over your favorite pasta — I like orzo. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about these marry me chicken meatballs. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
The panko breadcrumbs are a great binder for the best chicken meatballs. In this recipe they are actually doing double duty as both a binder and a moisture-keeper, so no egg is needed here. Panko (or regular breadcrumbs) mixed with a bit of parmesan is one of the best binders for chicken meatballs because it soaks up the meat's natural moisture and holds everything together!
They're called "Marry Me" meatballs because they're the meatball spin on Marry Me Chicken, a dish rumored to be so good it could inspire a marriage proposal! The name has stuck around as a fun, catchy way to describe a creamy, sun-dried tomato sauce that's basically irresistible.
Yes. I would freeze the cooked meatballs and sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Storing leftovers
Let the marry me chicken meatballs and sauce cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese softened and room temperature, broken into small chunks
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 oz fresh spinach
- more fresh basil + parmesan for topping cooked pasta for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together chicken, parmesan, panko, salt, and garlic.
- Using 2 tablespoon of meat, roll into balls.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add oil.
- Once hot, add meatballs, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Cook for 6-8 minutes and then remove meatballs from pan.
- With whatever remaining oil in pan (or add 1 tablespoon more if none), add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes. Roughly chop sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the onions. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and then add in garlic, and cook for another minute.
- Stir in tomato paste, basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flake, salt, and pepper, then pour broth overtop and stir together. Bring to light simmer.
- Add chunks of cream cheese to pot, along with whole milk, vinegar, and parmesan cheese. Use a whisk to help break up the cream cheese as it warms until it is smooth. Let simmer for a few minutes.
- Add meatballs back into dish and toss to coat. Once coated, add spinach and cover with lid to allow spinach to help soften, stir often until spinach is wilted and submerged in sauce.
- Top with more fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Serve over your favorite pasta - I like orzo. Enjoy!
- Storage: Let leftovers cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the cooked meatballs and sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Serving suggestions: Serve over orzo, pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce.
- Substitutions: Ground turkey works well in place of ground chicken. Swap regular panko for gluten-free panko to make this recipe celiac-friendly.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
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Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Ashlee says
Hi! Does this recipe have a strong cream cheese flavor?
Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Ashlee, nope, I don't think so!
Amanda says
As my husband said, it's a winner! Delicious and easy to make and will be adding into the dinner rotation.
Erin says
Hi Amanda, so happy they were a big hit!!
Erin G says
A meal that my whole family loved. Definitely making again!
Erin says
Hi Erin, so glad everyone loved them!
Sonam says
Delicious! I did things a little differently- sautéed some onions with seasonings and added those to the meatballs and then baked them, just to avoid the mess of frying meatballs on the stove lol. Came out perfect with the sauce!
Erin says
Hi Sonam, so happy you loved them!
Gwilly47 says
Made this and it was a hit with the whole family.
Erin says
Hi, so happy they were a big hit!! 🙂
Carol Lunger says
I made this recipe for my family of 5 - doubled it to have leftovers, and it was a hit! Everyone loved it. It came together so easily, very much a 'comfort food' dinner, perfect for Sunday night football watching!
Erin says
Hi Carol, so happy you all loved them! 🙂
Kelsey says
Highest recommendation!! So creamy and rich and delicious.
Erin says
Hi Kelsey, so happy you loved them!!
Susan says
Absolutely delicious and I will be making again!!
Erin says
Hi Susan, so happy you loved them!!
Tracey Lajoie says
Made tonight, sooooooo good! Amazing flavor!
Erin says
Hi Tracey, so happy you loved them! 🙂
Megan says
Wow these are absolutely phenomenal. My toddler even devoured them which is always a win. Definitely will be making these on repeat.
Erin says
Hi Megan, so happy they were a big hit!!