# Marry Me Chicken Meatballs, One Pan > Ground chicken meatballs in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, made start to finish in a single skillet. - Title: Marry Me Chicken Meatballs, One Pan · Taste of Home | Shortify - Summary: Ground chicken meatballs in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, made start to finish in a single skillet. Ground chicken is lean, so the fat has to come from… - Keywords: weeknight dinner, meatballs, one pan, ground chicken, comfort food, Marry, Chicken, One, Pan, Taste of Home - Source: Taste of Home — https://tasteofhome.com/recipes/marry-me-chicken-meatballs - Read time: 2 min - Topics: weeknight dinner, meatballs, one pan, ground chicken, comfort food ## 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. ## Key takeaway Ground chicken is lean, so the fat has to come from somewhere: oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, eggs and olive oil keep the meatballs from drying out.