These Marry Me Meatballs taste like something from your favorite Italian restaurant, but they’re ready in just 30 minutes on a weeknight. Tender chicken meatballs get smothered in a creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan sauce that’s good enough to propose over. It’s the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table go quiet for a minute.
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Marry me chicken meatballs take the flavors of the viral marry me chicken and turn them into bite-sized meatballs. The sauce is rich and creamy, with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, and Italian herbs. The meatballs bake on a sheet pan while the sauce simmers on the stove, so everything comes together at the same time. There’s no browning in batches or standing over a splattering skillet.
As a dietitian, I love that this cozy dinner packs 41 grams of protein per serving. I use half & half instead of heavy cream and low-sodium broth to keep the sauce a little lighter without losing that creamy texture. This recipe is on the higher side for sodium, mostly from the added salt and Parmesan, so I break that down below with easy ways to lower it.
If you love a cozy meatball dinner, I have a few more you’ll want to try. My French onion meatballs are simmered in a rich caramelized onion sauce, and these Greek turkey meatballs are fresh and herby. If you can’t get enough of the marry me flavors, my marry me chicken soup is perfect for chilly nights.
Jump to:
- What Do Marry Me Meatballs Taste Like?
- Why You Will Love Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions
- How to Make Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Recipe Success Tips
- What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Storage Directions
- Are Marry Me Meatballs Healthy?
- Pricing Info
- FAQs
- Other Dinner Recipes
- Recipe
What Do Marry Me Meatballs Taste Like?
These meatballs are savory and garlicky, with Parmesan and basil mixed right into the chicken. The sauce is creamy and rich, with a sweet-tangy pop from the sun-dried tomatoes. Tomato paste and Italian seasoning give it extra depth, and fresh basil brightens it up at the end. Every bite is cozy, cheesy, and full of flavor.
Why You Will Love Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Ready in 30 minutes. It’s faster than most marry me meatball recipes, perfect for busy weeknights or date night at home.
- High in protein. Each serving has 41 grams of protein.
- Hands-off meatballs. These baked chicken meatballs cook in the oven while you make the sauce.
- Lighter cream sauce. Half & half keeps it creamy without heavy cream.
- Budget-friendly. The whole recipe costs about $12.56, or $3.14 per serving.
Ingredients Needed
- Ground chicken: One pound makes 24 tender meatballs.
- Plain breadcrumbs and egg: These bind the meatballs and help keep them moist.
- Parmesan cheese: Dry grated Parmesan goes into the meatballs, and freshly shredded Parmesan melts into the sauce.
- Garlic and fresh basil: They flavor both the meatballs and the sauce.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Sun-dried tomatoes and their oil: The oil from the jar adds extra flavor when sautéing.
- Yellow onion and tomato paste: These build a savory base for the sauce.
- Low-sodium chicken broth and half & half: Together, they make a creamy, lighter sauce.
Substitutions
- Use ground turkey: Ground turkey works in place of ground chicken.
- Use heavy cream: Swap the half & half for heavy cream for an even richer sauce.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs.
- Add spinach: Stir a few handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce and let it wilt before adding the meatballs.
- Lower the sodium: Skip the ¼ teaspoon of salt in the sauce, cut back on the salt in the meatballs, or leave off the extra Parmesan on top.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Step 1: Prep the oven. Heat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: Mix the meatball base. In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, dry grated Parmesan, garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Step 3: Add the chicken and egg. Mix them into the breadcrumb mixture until everything is evenly combined. Your hands work best for this.
- Step 4: Shape and bake. Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each, and arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until they reach 165°F inside.
- Step 5: Start the sauce. While the meatballs bake, heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and sun-dried tomatoes for 2–3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 more minute.
- Step 6: Simmer the sauce. Pour in the chicken broth and half & half, then add ½ cup of the shredded Parmesan, the Italian seasoning, and the salt. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Step 7: Combine and serve. Add the baked meatballs to the skillet and toss them in the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan and fresh basil, take the pan off the heat, and serve.
Recipe Success Tips
- Don’t overmix. Mix the meatballs just until combined so they stay tender.
- Use a scoop. A 1-tablespoon cookie scoop keeps the meatballs the same size so they bake evenly.
- Check the temperature. Pull the meatballs when they hit 165°F so they don’t dry out.
- Let the sauce simmer. The full 10 minutes helps it thicken and lets the flavors come together.
- Shred your own Parmesan. Freshly shredded Parmesan melts much more smoothly into the sauce than pre-shredded.
What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Pasta: Rigatoni, penne, orzo, or spaghetti soak up all that creamy sauce.
- Rice: White or brown rice makes an easy base.
- Mashed potatoes: They’re a cozy, comforting pairing.
- Crusty bread: Use it to mop up every last bit of sauce.
- Green salad or roasted veggies: They add freshness and balance to the plate.
Storage Directions
Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. If the sauce has thickened, stir in a splash of broth to loosen it back up.
Are Marry Me Meatballs Healthy?
One serving of these marry me chicken meatballs (6 meatballs with sauce) has about 477 calories, 14 grams of carbs, 41 grams of protein, 29 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber, and 1,001 milligrams of sodium. These numbers are for the meatballs and sauce only. Pasta, rice, bread, and other sides are not included. Swapping in heavy cream will also raise the calories and fat.
At 1,001 milligrams per serving, this recipe is high in sodium. The biggest source is the added salt. The Parmesan cheese is the next biggest source, with smaller amounts from the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, and sun-dried tomatoes. To lower it, skip the ¼ teaspoon of salt in the sauce, cut back on the salt in the meatballs, or leave off the extra Parmesan on top.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 477 calories
- Carbohydrates: 14 grams
- Protein: 41 grams
- Total Fat: 29 grams
- Sodium: 1001 mg
- Fiber: 2 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs: $0.10
- ¼ cup dry grated parmesan cheese: $0.40
- 6 cloves garlic: $0.12
- 5 tbsp chopped fresh basil: $0.66
- 3 ½ tsp Italian seasoning: $0.06
- ¾ tsp salt: $0.01
- ½ tsp black pepper: $0.01
- 1 lbs ground chicken: $5.23
- 1 large egg: $0.45
- Sun-dried tomatoes and oil: $2.07
- 1 medium yellow onion: $0.65
- 1 tbsp tomato paste: $0.07
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth: $0.70
- ½ cup half & half: $0.32
- ¾ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese: $1.71
A creamy chicken or meatball pasta dish at an Italian restaurant can easily cost $18–$25 per plate. Making these marry me chicken meatballs at home costs about $12.56 for the whole recipe, or $3.14 per serving. That’s dinner for four for less than the price of one restaurant entrée. Note that this total doesn’t include pasta, rice, or other sides.
FAQs
Marry me meatballs are meatballs simmered in “marry me” sauce, the same creamy sun-dried tomato and Parmesan sauce made popular by marry me chicken. The name comes from the idea that the dish is so good, someone might propose after tasting it. This version uses ground chicken for tender, high-protein meatballs.
Marry me sauce is typically made with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, cream, broth, and Italian herbs. This version uses half & half instead of heavy cream and adds onion and tomato paste for extra depth.
Breadcrumbs and egg are the key to moist meatballs, since they help hold in moisture as the meatballs cook. Parmesan adds flavor and richness too. Just as important, don’t overmix the meat and don’t overbake them. Pull them out as soon as they reach 165°F.
Yes! Ground turkey works great in place of ground chicken. Make and bake the meatballs the same way, cooking them to 165°F.
Other Dinner Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
30-Minute Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
Marry Me Chicken Meatballs:
- ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup dry grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 lbs ground chicken
- 1 large egg
Marry Me Sauce:
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup half & half
- ¾ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese divided
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the meatballs. In a medium bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the ground chicken and egg and stir to combined (I used my hands).
- Form 24 equal meatballs (about 1 tbsp each), and place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165℉. Set aside.
- While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and saute another minute.
- Add the chicken broth, half & half, ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, stir frequently and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and toss to combine. Top with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Remove from heat and serve!
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
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