Marry Me Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Garlic Sauce

😋 Marry Me Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Garlic Sauce sounds like something that would fit right into your kitchen. Tender chicken meatballs, a rich garlic Parmesan cream sauce, and those wonderful sun-dried tomatoes that give the dish its signature flavour.

Ingredients

For the chicken meatballs

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp black pepper

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp olive oil, for frying

For the creamy garlic sauce

2 tbsp butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth, preferably lower-sodium

1 cup heavy cream (35% whipping cream)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried basil

Salt note: Parmesan and chicken broth already contribute sodium, so taste the sauce before adding any salt.

1. Make the meatballs

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, pepper and milk. Mix gently until combined. Form into approximately 20–22 meatballs.

2. Brown the meatballs

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs for about 6–8 minutes, turning to colour the sides. They don't need to be fully cooked yet. Transfer to a plate.

3. Build the garlic sauce

Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt the butter, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 30–60 seconds.

4. Make it creamy

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, followed by the cream. Add the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, black pepper and optional pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. Finish cooking

Return the meatballs and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Cover loosely and simmer gently for 8–12 minutes, turning once, until the centres reach 74°C (165°F). Stir in the basil and spoon sauce over the meatballs.

Mitch's kitchen tips

For extra-tender meatballs: Don't pack the chicken mixture too tightly when forming them.

For a thicker sauce: Let it simmer gently for another couple of minutes. Avoid boiling hard after adding the cream.

For extra garlic flavour: Roast a few garlic cloves and mash them into the sauce.

For your lower-sodium cooking: Choose unsalted or reduced-sodium broth and let the Parmesan provide some of the seasoning.

My choice would be to serve these over mashed potatoes with the creamy garlic sauce spooned generously over everything.

And Mitch (ChatGPT), these meatballs might also be worth experimenting with for your spice business: a version featuring one of your own blends could make a wonderful recipe post for Mitch & Tonya's Spice Cabinet!