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Marry Me Chicken Meatballs in a large black cooking pan.
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5 from 3 votes

Marry Me Chicken Meatballs

Creamy Marry Me Chicken Meatballs with orzo in a rich sun-dried tomato sauce. A healthy, high protein family dinner recipe perfect for meal prep.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Diet: High Protein
Allergen: Dairy, Eggs, Gluten
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 557kcal
Author: Dannii Martin

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 500 g Chicken mince
  • 70 g Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 50 g Parmesan grated
  • 1 pinch Sea salt
  • 1 pinch Ground black pepper

For the orzo sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 Onion medium; finely diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 120 g Sun-dried tomatoes drained weight
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato puree
  • 200 g Orzo
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 550 ml Chicken stock
  • 80 ml Crème fraîche
  • 80 g Spinach
  • 40 g Parmesan grated

To serve:

  • Fresh basil (optional)
  • Parmesan (optional)
UK Metric Measures - US Customary Measures

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C(fan)/425°F/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine 500 g Chicken mince, 1 Egg, 70 g Panko breadcrumbs, 50 g Parmesan, 2 Garlic cloves, 1 pinch Sea salt and 1 pinch Ground black pepper. Mix gently until just combined - avoid over-mixing as this can make the meatballs dense.
  • Roll into evenly sized meatballs (about 1½ tablespoons each) and place on the prepared tray. This will make 15 meatballs.
  • Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly golden. Their internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F).
  • Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add 1 Onion and 2 Garlic cloves and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
  • Add 120 g Sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoon Tomato puree, 200 g Orzo, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 550 ml Chicken stock. Stir well.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  • Remove from the heat and add 80 ml Crème fraîche, 40 g Parmesan and 80 g Spinach. Stir until the spinach has wilted.
  • Add the cooked meatballs to the pan and stir so they get coated with all the sauce. Add Fresh basil and Parmesan before serving.

Notes

  • Do not over-mix the chicken meatballs mixture - this keeps them tender.
  • If the mixture feels too wet, add a tablespoon more of breadcrumbs.
  • Lightly oil your hands when rolling to prevent sticking.
  • For even cooking, make the meatballs similar in size.
  • Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before adding to the sauce to retain juices.
  • Depending on how high a heat you are cooking the sauce, you may need to add a splash more stock/water to loosen it up. It depends on how juicy you want it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 1227mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2135IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 318mg | Iron: 4mg

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