The dish that proposes

A one-pan riff on Marry Me chicken: tender ground chicken meatballs sitting in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. Prep 30 minutes, cook 25, serves 8.

“Net yourself a fiance(e) by fixing these one-pan Marry Me chicken meatballs for your true love.”

Part of a family

Marry Me started as a skillet chicken dish and spread to pot roast, soup and pasta. The through line is garlic, spinach and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce.

What goes in the meatball

Ground chicken with bread crumbs and eggs for structure, then chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic, dried basil, onion powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

What goes in the sauce

Butter, minced garlic, chicken broth, julienned sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, oregano and thyme. Baby spinach, Parmesan and fresh basil finish it.

Mix gently, shape small

Combine everything lightly and roll into 1-1/2 inch balls. Working the meat too hard tightens it up.

“Over-handling the meat mixture will give the meatballs a tougher texture.”

Brown with breathing room

Two to three minutes per side in olive oil over medium heat, then move them to a plate. Crowd the pan and they steam instead of browning, so go in batches.

“Leave some space between the meatballs so moisture can escape as they brown.”

Build the sauce in the fond

Oil and butter in the same skillet, garlic for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, then broth, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and thyme. Simmer one to two minutes.

Cream, spinach, Parmesan

Add warmed heavy cream and simmer four to five minutes. Stir in baby spinach and 3/4 cup Parmesan until the leaves wilt, about one to two minutes.

Bring the meatballs home

Return them to the skillet for three to four minutes, spooning sauce over the top. Finish with the last 1/4 cup Parmesan and fresh basil.

Serve it on anything starchy

Linguine or spaghetti, garlic mashed potatoes, air-fryer smashed potatoes, white rice or cauliflower rice. Spoon it into toasted hoagie rolls for a sandwich.

Swaps worth making

Baby kale instead of spinach. Ground turkey, pork or lean beef instead of chicken. Or shape thin patties, brown them, and serve open-faced on bread.

Keep it moist

Lean chicken needs help, so the olive oil, eggs and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes do the work. Pull the meatballs at 165°F and no further.

Make ahead and store

Raw mixture keeps 3 days in the fridge, cooked meatballs and sauce keep 4. Reheat gently in a skillet to 165°F.

Freeze the balls, not the sauce

Meatballs freeze up to three months, raw or cooked, in a single layer first. Make the cream sauce the day you serve it.

“It's best to make the creamy sauce the day you want to serve the meatballs.”